The Plan

Wiradjuri Heritage and Culture

Public art can be utilised to celebrate the spaces and people around us, as well as acknowledge our heritage and culture. Incorporation of Wiradjuri art, language and culture into significant new infrastructure and projects is needed and wanted in our city. There are many sites of cultural significance to the Wiradjuri community, both recognised and unrecognised, located around the Wiradjuri Trail. There exists opportunity to bring to the fore the stories central to these sites and the Wiradjuri community of Wagga Wagga. 'River Life' (refer to Enliven Public Art Plan 2017-2021) is a major commission currently underway in partnership with the local Wiradjuri community, see Schedule of Works pg 21. Council will continue this commitment to celebrate Wiradjuri culture with a second major commission as detailed below.

In partnership with the Wiradjuri community, commission site specific installation/s of Wiradjuri significance Celebrate Our community’s Wiradjuri and First Nations living culture and heritage Activate Connection to places that are of Wiradjuri significance as detailed in the Draft Wiradjuri Trail Master Plan Innovate Connect Wiradjuri and First Nations story-telling to traditional and contemporary artforms Collaborate Wiradjuri and First Nations community and artists

When

23/24;24/25 Budget $150,000 (total project budget) Funding status Not funded (options: external funding) Strategic Links Cultural Plan 2020-2030 2.05 - Implement the recommendations of the Reconciliation Action Plan relating to arts and cultural activities Reconciliation Action Plan 2025 Investigate opportunities to create site specific public art opportunities that share First Nations Peoples stories with the Wagga Wagga community Community Strategic Plan 2040 Objectives (draft CSP 2040) Wagga Wagga has strong community leadership and a shared vision for the future; Our community are proud of where we live and our identity Draft Wiradjuri Trail Master Plan

Photo: Wagga Wagga City Council Lost Lanes 2019, Cadell Place Ignacio Querejeta, Medusa , 2018

Events

We come together to celebrate the community spirit throughout the year at a variety of events that contribute to wellbeing, strengthen our cultural identity and make the city a more vibrant place to live. This Plan embraces this culture of celebration and will contribute to the success of the annual calendar of events. Public art can be durational, digital, site-specific, sound and lighting based, and interactive. Events are an opportunity to explore ephemeral and temporary artworks that will engage the public in new and exciting ways.

Commission one temporary/ephemeral public artwork per year for inclusion in a community event in the Council annual calendar of events. Celebrate Community spirit and our connected and diverse city Activate Community exposure to contemporary Public Art at the city’s public events Innovate Artworks to be ephemeral or temporary Collaborate Wagga Wagga City Council community event organisers

When

22/23; 23/24; 24/25; 25/26 Budget $10,000 per project, per financial year Funding status Funded - Public Art Reserve Strategic Links Cultural Plan 2020-2030 2.28 - Align public art activities to placemaking and activation objectives Community Strategic Plan 2040 Objectives (draft CSP 2040) Our community are proud of where we live and our identity; Our community feel welcome, included and connected; Wagga Wagga is a hub for activity; Wagga Wagga is an attractive tourist destination

John Wood, Ageless Oura, 2017 Oura Beach Reserve Photo: Chloe Smith Photography for Visit Wagga Wagga

Neighbourhoods, Suburbs and Villages

Wagga Wagga is a city of diverse and vibrant communities across our many neighbourhoods and villages. The Collection branches across the CBD, through the suburbs and out to the villages activating and beautifying public spaces for both locals and visitors. As Wagga Wagga continues to grow, public art can be used to make the whole city an exhibition space. Public art can be utilised to bring our new suburbs into the cultural fabric of the city and engage with our established communities.

Neighbourhood Engagement

Engage local communities in workshop programs that have creative outcomes such as murals, installations, or performances that improve public amenity and beautify urban spaces. Celebrate The diversity of our local community's spirit, stories and sense of place Activate Identified SA1 neighbourhoods; Ashmont, Tolland, Mt Austin & Kooringal Innovate Directly engage the community with artists/facilitators in a variety of arts practices Collaborate Local communities When 22/23; 23/24; 24/25; 25/26 Budget $20,000 per financial year, one neighbourhood per year Funding status Funded - Public Art Reserve Strategic Links Cultural Plan 2020-2030 2.24 - Allocate resources to neighbourhood activation and events Community Strategic Plan 2040 Objectives (draft CSP 2040) Our community are proud of where we live and our identity; Our community feel welcome, included and connected; Our built environment is functional, attractive and health promoting

City, Suburbs & Villages

Seek out opportunities to support the commissioning of public artworks throughout the Wagga Wagga LGA, including our new and growing suburbs and rural villages. Celebrate The unique histories and stories of our communities and look to the future of our city

Activate

Connections with the new and growing suburbs in our city as well as our established suburbs and villages Innovate Consider diverse artforms and creative projects to reflect the community and create opportunities for congregation and play Collaborate Local communities; Wagga Wagga City Council When 22/23; 23/24; 24/25; 25/26 Budget $15,000 per financial year Funding status Funded - Public Art Reserve (additional funding options: external funding) Strategic Links Cultural Plan 2020-2030 2.22 - Continue to deliver cultural programming and outreach services across the Local Government Area Community Strategic Plan 2040 (draft CSP 2040) Our community are proud of where we live and our identity; Our community feel welcome, included and connected Recreation, Open Space and Community Strategy and Implementation Plan 2040 Increase the activation of public spaces

David Cragg, Morning Light, 2020 Corner of Baylis & Tompson Streets Photo: Patrick Ronald

Explore the city

Public art engages audiences in new and unexpected ways, creating conversations and challenging the public's perception of the space around them. The current Collection continues to be explored, discovered and celebrated by the local community and visitors to our city.

Public art can also be used as a means to increase safety within our city. Crime prevention can be achieved through environmental design, using creative lighting or digital installations, to activate spaces previously seen as vulnerable by the community and allow for further exploration of the city at night.

Creative Light Spaces

Commission and install creative lighting/digital works in idenitified locations to improve public safety and amenity. Celebrate Creative and artistic technologies to beautify urban spaces Activate Urban spaces that have been identified as vulnerable or requiring improved lighting Innovate Combine lighting and digital works with vulnerable spaces to improve public safety in creative ways Collaborate Wagga Wagga City Council; partner agencies and communities When

23/24; 25/26 Budget $30,000 per installation, bi-annual Funding status Funded - Public Art Reserve (additional funding options: external funding) Strategic Links Cultural Plan 2020-2030 2.18 - Expand the use of creative lighting installations to increase night-time safety in public spaces Community Strategic Plan 2040 (draft CSP 2040) Wagga Wagga is a hub for activity; Our community feel safe Draft Community Safety Action Plan 2025

Listen In – Audio Art Trail

Develop an audio art trail that includes recorded stories of current works and new works of sound art (soundscapes, poetry, compositions etc) Celebrate The City’s Public Art Collection and unique ways of connecting with our stories Activate Cultural tourism with visitors exploring the Collection throughout the CBD, suburbs and villages Innovate Engage people with the Collection and the space around them in new and unexpected ways Collaborate Wagga Wagga City Council; Artists and creative practitioners When

22/23; 23/24; 24/25; 25/26 Budget Project dependant Funding status Not funded (options: external funding) Strategic Links Cultural Plan 2020-2030 2.17 - Allocate resources to activate the central business district Community Strategic Plan 2040 (draft CSP 2040) Our community are proud of where we live and our identity; Our community feel welcome, included and connected; Wagga Wagga is an attractive tourist destination