The City of Sydney has recently announced some fantastic opportunities for artists to transform the city centre and Green Square through public art.
Green Square Drying Green Park
Artist impression of the Drying Green by McGregor Coxall
Delivering on the Green Square Public Art Strategy, Expressions of Interest are now open for artists to work with public domain designers to integrate their ideas into one of the key parks in the Green Square town centre. The vision for Green Square is that of urban renewal: a vibrant, sustainable village in which to live and work, incorporating retail, food and entertainment and a public domain that supports cultural and community activities, including public art. By 2030, Green Square is projected to house about 40,000 residents and attract 22,000 workers.
The Drying Green will take the form of a village green for recreation, informal and formal play including soft landscaping elements and relaxation. Plantings, landscaping installations, seating and sculptural architectural elements, lighting or sound art integrated into various elements of the park, playground elements and the shade canopy are all possibilities for artists.
The successful artist will work in conjunction with the public domain design team to integrate their work into the park so there are real opportunities for artworks that actually create the architectural elements required – such as artwork play structures, the architectural shade and lighting canopy, and artwork seating.
Submissions close: 11am Wednesday 2 October, 2013
George Street spine and the East-West connecting streets
Over the next ten years, Sydney’s city centre and George Street, its main artery, will be transformed through public art. The transformation of the city centre is one of the most significant public works projects to occur in Australia in generations. This consists of two EOI opportunities open now: To re-shape the City Centre through a $2.5M permanent public artwork along George Street and to transform the public spaces of our city through a $1.7M legacy public artwork for the east-west connecting streets that cross George Street.
In keeping with the City of Sydney’s commitment to sustainability, light rail will be implemented by the New South Wales State Government from 2014 along George Street as part of an extensive network connecting outlying areas to the heart of Sydney. According to the Public Art Plan, in the reconfigured city centre, works of art, comfortable seating, shade, and plantings will go hand-in-hand with improved design, creating spaces people will want to spend time in. Sydney’s public art must aspire to match the excellence already achieved in Australian architectural projects and the uniqueness seen in our other cultural assets.
The City of Sydney aspires to provide the opportunity for new art projects to be integrated into the fabric of a city, assume great significance, become familiar to residents, and be seen by visitors to Sydney from around the world.
Submissions close: 11am Thursday 31 October, 2013
City of Sydney City Centre Public Art plan
