Perth Voice Interactive

VINCENT councillors have turned down an opportunity to hire Belgian street artist Roa to paint a toilet block in Birdwood Square.

Roa’s in Perth for Form’s Public: Art in the City project, and the chance came along to pay him $15,000 to paint one of his world-famous animal murals (the price is half his usual fee).

Vincent councillors weren’t keen on handing $15,000 to a foreign artist.

“My personal preference is to use local artists,” Cr Matt Buckels said. “Fifteen-thousand-dollars is a lot of money.”

Mayor John Carey says the council’s usual mural budget is just $12,000 and so far this year it’s scored four murals for that money.

“My personal preference is to use local artists”

Some $40,000 of Vincent money had already been spent on the Form project and spending another $15,000 was excessive, he said.

“I think it’s a poor allocation of the community’s funds. We’re not the department of culture and arts.”

by DAVID BELL