The Public Art Fund is Tauranga City Council’s dedicated fund for public art.
What is the Public Art Fund?
Public art is any artwork that is in the public realm and is accessible to the general public. This is regardless of whether it is situated on public or private property.
Public art comes in many forms, including but not limited to, sculpture, murals, mahi toi, integrated architectural or landscape architectural work, community art, mosaics, digital new media, lightworks, sound art, land art, installation, and more transitory forms like performance art.
Applications are open throughout the year, with funding round dates advertised in advance. If your full project budget is $30,000 or less, decisions will be made on a bi-monthly basis. If your full project budget is $30,001 or more, decisions will be made quarterly. There is no limit to how much you can apply for.
To help you with your application, please read the Public Art Framework (7.2mb PDF) and the Public Art Community Toolkit (10.6mb PDF).
Apply here
Key information
Who can apply?
- Anyone can apply for the Public Art Fund! Artists, commissioners, community organisations, we welcome applications from anyone interested in creating or commissioning a public artwork.
- You cannot apply for the Public Art Fund if you have received other Tauranga City Council funding or sponsorship for the same project.
What can get funded?
- All applications must demonstrate contribution to one of the strategic outcomes:
- World-leading public art grows the distinctiveness of the city
- Infrastructure projects integrate art and design from the outset
- A programme of community and temporary public art brings vibrancy to the city
- A programme of interpretation and promotion enriches the public art experience
- All costs associated with the creation, installation and engagement of the public art project can be applied for.
When can I apply?
The Public Art Fund is a rolling fund (meaning that you can apply at any time).
For applications under $30,000, you must submit your application by the following dates to be assessed at the next panel meeting:
- 12 January 2025
- 16 March 2025
- 11 May 2025
For applications over $30,000, you must submit your application by the following dates to be assessed at the next panel meeting:
- 19 January 2025
- 13 April 2025
Who do I contact to discuss my application?
You can contact Tauranga City Council's Public Art team at publicart@tauranga.govt.nz. Alternatively, you can contact the team at Creative Bay of Plenty (CBOP) for independent advice. CBOP can provide funding advice, as well as having excellent knowledge of what makes a successful application.
How to apply
Applications to the Public Art team are administered through an online application service, powered by SmartyGrants.
You can save your application as a draft as you progress (you don't need to complete it all in one go).