Perth Voice Interactive

VINCENT council is paying $1500 a month to store a sculpture it commissioned but couldn’t install, and now has a second $215,000 public art project on the verge of collapse.

Back in 2021 the council launched the Arts Rebound: Town Centre Artworks program to stimulate the arts community after Covid forced the cancellation of live gigs, performances and gallery openings.

A panel approved two artworks from 14 applicants; a $215,000 joint proposal from artist Marcus Canning, Globe TAG Architects and The Butcher Shop called The Globe which was to hang over the corner of William and Beaufort Streets, and a more modest $80,000 canopy with a light show for the heart of Leederville by Cruickshank Design Studio.

Last year The Globe was the subject of a petition led by restaurateur Emma Pegrum from Wines of While, asking for it to be relocated.

“It appears there was no direct consultation with the community members, business owners and ratepayers most impacted by the proposed artwork at this location at the time the decision was made,” Ms Pegrum said in her petition.

“The proposed artwork at this location presents significant safety concerns due to its large scale and suspension over an already busy and poorly managed traffic intersection, with the potential to distract drivers.

“It is unclear whether the suspended installation will be possible without the addition of new obstructive and invasive infrastructure at the street/pedestrian level.”

The latter point proved to be on the money, and this week’s council meeting heard that Canning had determined The Globe couldn’t be hung under the proposed budget after the City asked for it to be raised higher.

He’s already been paid $75,250 in “milestone payments” and Vincent now has to find an alternative location, with a report to the meeting painting an ominous picture: “If the artist was to submit the design in its current form, the City would reject the design, pay out the remaining $32,250 milestone and close the project,” the report found.

Canning is confident he can get The Globe up at an alternative location by redesigning and reducing the footings.

But at the meeting, councillor Suzanne Worner revealed the Leederville installation had also come unstuck due to engineering issues and was being stored at the cost of $1500 a month.

“This can’t be installed due to engineering and major service access issues, and has already had its preferred site moved one,” Cr Worner said.

An administrator in the arts herself, Cr Worner said she supported Vincent’s aspiration to become the “arts capital of Perth” but found the implementation “incredibly frustrating”.

“We’re nearing four years of a project that was originally designed as a Covid response.

“The assessment of the William Street artwork indicated that a high level of consideration has been given to the maintenance, longevity, construction, risk management and public safety of the project, and it was on that advice that the council approved this in December 21 (2021).

“I suggest that information was inaccurate.”

Cr Worner successfully moved a motion that essentially calls for an investigation into what went wrong and how it can be avoided in the future.

by STEVE GRANT