Melview Reserve Public Art Opportunity

⁠⁠⁠Maroondah City Council seeking Artist to develop a public artwork on theme of Tawny Frogmouth to the value of $40 000.

Maroondah City Council supports public art throughout the community as a way of adding to the municipality’s cultural vitality. Guided by Maroondah’s Public Art Policy and the Arts and Cultural Development Strategy 2020 – 2025, public art works respond to the community’s desire for traditional and contemporary art forms in public places. Maroondah’s public art collection continues to grow across both indoor and outdoor sites, and in established and new buildings.

PROJECT CONTEXT
Melview Reserve
As part of Maroondah City Council’s vision for the creation of vibrant and connected communities, the commission has been initiated with support from a local community environment group following numerous sightings of a Tawny Frogmouth nest in Melview Reserve.
The Tawny Frogmouth has been identified as one of a group of Engagement Species for which Council seeks to encourage the habitation through preservation and rehabilitation of natural bushland environments, wildlife corridors and remnant vegetation.
The commission forms a key part of the Maroondah Arts and Cultural Development Strategy to deliver innovative projects and exhibitions that explore issues, interests and values of importance to the Maroondah community such as the environment and cultural heritage. Further, it is hoped that the commission will encourage a sense of local identity within the community and a connection to the surrounding natural environment.
Public Art Element
The key public art feature of this project will be a work on the theme of the Tawny Frogmouth. This might be realised in different ways, including sculptural renditions or related text work.
Potential material possibilities for the commission include:
- Freestanding Sculpture (e.g. steel, wood, glass, bronze, concrete, stone)
- Ground plane etching
- Mosaic

KEY DELIVERABLES
The Artist will facilitate the development and realisation of the work through site visits and sharing of an installation plan which will require input from Maroondah City Council. The final work will be installed by the commissioned Artist in a manner that ensures stability, safety and security. The finished work will be an integral part of Melview Reserve with a projected life span of 25 years.

REQUIREMENTS
Risk assessment and safety plan
Council is obliged to provide and maintain, so far as is practicable, a working environment for its employees and members of the public, that is safe and without risk to health. As a condition of this Contract, Council requires that any Artist that may be engaged to perform works on its behalf will at all times identify and exercise all necessary precautions for the health and safety of all persons (including contractors, Council employees and members of the public) who may be affected by the works. The Artist will inform themselves of all occupational health and safety policies, procedures or measures implemented or adapted by Council and/or the occupiers of any premises at or within which the Artist will perform works under this Contract. The Artist will comply with all such policies, procedures or measures; and in the event of any inconsistency, will comply with such procedures or measures at the highest level of health and safety.
Applicants must submit a suitable site-specific Safety Plan with their application. This Safety Plan must be specific to the execution of the mural onsite at Melview Reserve and detail use of ladders as well as adequate barriers for the protection of the artist/artists and pedestrians.
Maintenance Plan
Upon completion of the artwork/s, the Artist is to provide Council with written advice detailing what actions (including appropriate materials, methods and indicative costs) are reasonably required for the maintenance of the artwork/s, sufficient to ensure the artwork’s ongoing integrity.
If the artwork requires repair after completion, Council will, where practical, contact the Artist to undertake or advise on the undertaking of the necessary work. Repairs to the artwork will be carried out according to industry standards for the conservation and maintenance of artworks. If the work is deemed damaged beyond repair, in whole or in part, Council will determine the appropriate method of removal and will, where practical, inform the Artist of such action. The Artist is encouraged to continue to provide Council with up to date contact details to facilitate such communication.

Public liability insurance
The Artist will take out during the period of the contract:
(i) A public liability insurance policy in a form approved by Council with Council named as a principal under a principal’s indemnity extension clause acceptable to Council for a minimum sum of twenty million dollars ($20,000,000) for each and every claim, covering Council and the Contractor against all actions, costs, claims, charges, expenses and damages whatsoever which may be brought or made or claimed against Council or the Contractor or both arising out of or in relation to the performance of the Works.
(ii) A workcover insurance policy insuring against liability for death of or injury to the Artist’s employees.
Before commencing any part of the works, the Artist will submit to the Public Art Officer evidence to the satisfaction and approval of the Coordinator Arts and Culture of the insurances required to be effected and maintained under this Contract.

The total maximum fee available for the Artist to design, develop and deliver the work and all other associated requirements as outlined above is $40,000 (ex GST). The fee must include the cost of material