Public Art Fund

The Public Art Fund is delivered annually to support the delivery of innovative and exciting public art in Whanganui.

To view an online map of the council’s public art collection and learn more about each work, visit the Coastal Arts Trail website here.

Applications dates

 Applications for the 2023 funding round are now closed. The next round of the Public Art Fund will open in early 2024. 

Eligible projects could include, but are not limited to:
  • works such as sculpture, street art, pou whenua, sound, light, new genre public art, land art, murals, relational aesthetics, digital art, moving image and installations 
  • artists contributing to urban design developments (such as parks, streets, bridges, buildings and street furniture) 
  • temporary public art activities and events, such as performance artworks, time-based sculpture, sonic art, projections, paste-ups, media arts, and movable works 
  • artists working with communities in public spaces. 

Application process

Crafting your project

When project planning, we recommend reading the Public Art Fund 2023 Guidelines(PDF, 4MB) before booking a time to discuss your idea with the creative community advisor.

The Public Art Fund Guidelines contain important information such as assessment criteria and details to consider in your application.

As part of the application process, the creative community advisor will provide advice on what you will need to consider as part of your application and project plan, how to best present your ideas on paper and what supporting material you will require.

Please note: The Public Art Fund requires match-funding close or equal to the amount requested from the fund. This means additional in-kind or financial support from community stakeholders or sponsors is an application requirement. This support may cover the material, fabrication, or installation costs.

Applications are assessed by the Public Art Steering Group to ensure they meet criteria and reflect the desired outcomes of the Public Art Fund 2023 Guidelines and Arts and Culture Strategic Plan 2019-2029.

Submitting your application

You can choose one of two methods to submit your application form.

Email
Complete an application form and email it to the creative community advisor

Post
Complete an application form and post it to
Attn: Creative community advisor
Whanganui District Council
PO Box 637
Whanganui 4541

Please ensure the required support material is enclosed with your application.