ixia

Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)

Click here to view ixia’s response to the Department for Communities and Local Government’s (DCLG) consultation document, Community Infrastructure Levy: Detailed proposals and draft regulations for the introduction of the Community Infrastructure Levy, published in July 2009. ixia’s response has been developed in discussion with, and endorsed by, Arts Council England.

ixia has just published its Review and Guidance on public art and the BSF process. The government states that BSF is the biggest single investment in improving school buildings for over fifty years. It intends to rebuild or refurbish every secondary school in England - transforming education through the creation of inspirational learning environments. Moreover, the government intends BSF to play a significant role in local regeneration initiatives and, in light of the current recession, the national economic recovery, by stimulating investment and supporting the construction industry. ixia’s review and guidance on public art and the BSF process has been conducted in response to the growing number of public art commissions within BSF programmes and recent changes to national BSF guidance documents. It is now a requirement that every local authority sets up a mandatory Cultural Stakeholder Group (CSG) to champion the arts, culture and cultural learning within its BSF programme. The CSG’s work includes advising on the provision of arts spaces within BSF schools and undertaking a Strategic and Facilities Audit in order to assess and develop links between BSF and existing and emerging arts and cultural organisations and initiatives. As a result, the role that public art can perform within BSF is highlighted and promoted.

For more information, and to download a free copy of ixia’s review, please click here.

Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)

As part of ixia’s ongoing review of the relationship between public art and the planning system we are profiling the government’s latest consultation document on the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), Community Infrastructure Levy: Detailed proposals and draft regulations for the introduction of the Community Infrastructure Levy: Consultation, published in July 2009. ixia is currently working on a response. For more information, click here. For ixia’s published review of policy, guidance and practice regarding public art and the planning system and process in England, click here.

ixia works with partners to deliver Seminars to disseminate the findings of its research and to encourage networking and debate. For 2009 and 2010, ixia has worked with Situations, Places Matter! and Arts Council England to develop and deliver two series of Seminars. They have been devised for artists, curators, public art consultants and representatives of public and private sector organisations that promote and commission public art. In addition to hearing from speakers, attendees will be encouraged to engage actively in discussions and to reflect upon their own work in relation to the issues discussed.

Each Seminar costs £60 per person, including refreshments and lunch.

“What Public Art Needs Now!”

ixia and Situations have developed a series of groundbreaking Seminars framed by a provocative response to the statement: “What Public Art Needs Now!”

The three Seminars will examine different aspects of emergent and alternative models of contemporary public art commissioning by focusing on the role of the curator/commissioner within an exemplary international public art project. Organised through informal illustrated presentations, group discussions and critical responses, the three seminars will provide attendees with the opportunity to hear from, and question, the commissioners behind the projects, the artists and other participants involved, and respondents from the contemporary public art sector.

For further details about the speakers, content, dates and venues - and to book your place - please click here .

“Places Matter!”

Places Matter! and Arts Council England have partnered with ixia to deliver a series of Seminars throughout the north-west of England. The Seminars will enable attendees to reflect upon contemporary public art practice and to develop their understanding of specific contexts and issues which support and influence the delivery of public art.

For more detailed information about the Seminar content, speakers and venues - and to book your place - please click here.

Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis so please book quickly!

Over the last ten years the planning system has been, and continues to be, reformed to support the delivery of the Government’s Sustainable Communities agenda - the social, economic and environmental development of places. Over the same period, public art has become seen as a key ingredient in the success of development and regeneration initiatives. Therefore, ixia, in partnership with international legal practice DLA Piper LLP, has sought the advice of Ian Dove QC at No5 Chambers on the relationship between public art and the planning system. The last time this was done was in 1988 by Robert Carnwath QC.

To find out more about the Advice, please come to one of the briefing sessions being held at three locations across the country. Ian Dove QC; Jonathan Banks, CEO of ixia; and David Brammer, of DLA Piper, will provide an overview of the current position of public art within the planning system and talk through the Advice and its implications, take questions and encourage debate.

Monday 14 September 2009, Birmingham - 12 noon
Monday 28 September 2009, Leeds - 12 noon
Monday 12 October 2009, London - 8:15am

For more information and to register to attend one of the briefing sessions, please click here.

ixia wrote an article for ArtsProfessional, which was published in AP Issue 190 on 23rd March 2009. Click here to download the original text.

Public art has clearly benefited from public and private sector investment in regeneration initiatives over recent years. On 30^th January 2009, the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) published The Credit Crunch and Regeneration: Impact and Implications by Professor Michael Parkinson, from the European Institute for Urban Affairs at Liverpool John Moores University. His report asserts that the current economic crisis is impacting on a financial model that has underpinned regeneration in recent years and pressure on the sector is likely to get more intense. Consequently, the immediate scenario for the public art sector is fewer regeneration initiatives leading to fewer opportunities for public art. Click here to view ixia’s opinion and the report.

ixia is currently working alongside legal service providers DLA Piper UK LLP to further investigate the relationship between public art and the planning system. The Planning Bill, introduced in 2007, has now been enacted as the Planning Act 2008 and the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) has become a reality. ixia will issue further information regarding CIL, the arts and public art once the Government releases detailed guidance about the Levy later this year. For ixia’s current views on CIL and its published review of policy, guidance and practice regarding public art and the planning system and process in England, click here.

ixia’s research strategy is to establish a body of knowledge around public art practice. We are working on a number of new research projects looking at the different contexts in which artists engage with the public realm. These include: education; health and a review of the relationship between the planning system, public art and contemporary art collections for the Visual Arts Department of the National Office of Arts Council England (ACE). Click here for the Research section of our website.

Do you have any comments or queries which other users of ixia’s website could help with or respond to?

The Noticeboard is designed for any theoretical comments or practical queries you have on issues relating to public art, practical advice about delivering public art commissions and current debates!