WQ92627 (e) Tabled on 25/04/2024

Will the Welsh Government ensure that local communities are consulted before public art is removed?

Answered by Cabinet Secretary for Culture and Social Justice | Answered on 03/05/2024

Welsh Government funding for the Arts is channelled through the Arts Council of Wales (ACW) who operate at arm’s length from Government although within the strategic framework we provide.

Agreements between the commissioner of the art and the artist should set out terms on the production, length of display, upkeep and removal, and long-term ownership of works in the public realm.  ACW advise it is good practice to consult with communities on proposals for installing or removing public works of art. However, ACW would not have any authority on this, unless it was the commissioning body.