Young Street Plaza - Public Art Expression of Interest

⁠⁠⁠North Sydney Council is seeking Expressions of Interest from suitably qualified artists or artist teams for the design, fabrication and installation of a public artwork at Young Street Plaza, Neutral Bay.

The Young Street Plaza upgrade forms part of Council’s broader program to improve village centres by enhancing amenity, accessibility and overall use of public spaces. The works include new paving, seating, lighting, landscaping and drainage, creating a more functional and welcoming space for the local community, businesses and visitors.

The project was initiated in 2018 through a funding agreement with Transport for NSW. A trial plaza was delivered in 2020, followed by a review which led to the current design for a partial road reopening with a permanent public plaza. The final concept was endorsed in 2024, with construction commencing in October 2025 and completed in April 2026.

The plaza is a key public space within Neutral Bay and a well-used pedestrian area. The artwork is intended to complement the upgraded public domain, contribute to the identity of the space, and support a sense of place for the local community.

Artists are invited to respond to the site and deliver a durable, safe and suitable outcome for a high-use urban environment.

Public Art – Project Brief

Council has recently completed construction of the new Young Street Plaza and is inviting artists to submit applications for a public artwork within this space. Two features within the plaza have been identified as suitable for art activation: the concrete walls along Young street on the eastern side of the plaza and the pergola in the centre of the plaza.

Artists are encouraged to propose creative, site-specific interpretations that respond to the plaza’s environment and community context. North Sydney Council is not seeking standalone 3D sculptures; rather, the artwork should integrate with or enhance the existing features of the plaza, bringing an artistic layer to the public space in an engaging and thoughtful way.

Community consultation

Council’s engagement with the community on Young Street Plaza has been ongoing throughout the project. Between 31 May and 5 July 2019, consultation was conducted on the concept design for the trial closure of Young Street. The closure was proposed to improve bus movements along Military Road as part of the Northern Beaches B-Line project.

Following the approval of the trial Young Street Plaza in September 2020, which opened in December 2020, further consultation was undertaken between 3 November 2020 and 30 April 2021 on the trial plaza and full road closure.

More recently, from 1 May to 12 June 2024, community consultation was carried out on the concept design for the partial reopening of Young Street. The concept designs were placed on public exhibition, with pop-up information stalls held on 20 and 28 May 2024. Feedback could also be submitted via email or an online form.

Across all consultation phases, the community expressed broad support for the proposals. Suggestions included increasing greenery and gardens, providing walkways, shade and seating, using native plants, incorporating non-slip surfaces, and ensuring adequate lighting. These inputs have informed the detailed design, enhanced pedestrian safety, accessibility, and the overall public realm while maintaining the project’s original objectives

Commissioning process

1. Stage One - Expressions of Interest

• Artists will provide
• portfolio of previous works
• CV

A short response to the brief with initial concepts for Young Street Plaza.

Applications should be submitted through Council's SmartyGrants Portal

2. Stage Two - Design Submission

Shortlisted artists will then be paid $3,000 to submit a detailed design submission. The detailed submission will elaborate on the initial EOI with drawings and plans, full budget, curatorial statement and delivery details. Shortlisted artists will be given the opportunity to meet with the selection panel and present their work.

3. Stage Three - Installation

The successful artist will be offered the commission and enter into an agreement with council. As per the 1968 Copyright Act, all intellectual property and copyright remains vested in the artist submitting the designs until the final design is handed over to council. The design will require engineering sign off and final approval from Council. One approved, the work may proceed to manufacture and installation.

Selection Criteria – Stage One

The panel will assess the expressions of interest against the following criteria:

• Artist must reside in NSW
• Response to the brief, site and local community
• Demonstrated previous experience

Selection Criteria – Stage two

The panel will assess the expressions of interest against the following criteria:

• Artist must reside in NSW
• Budget, timeline
• Strength of concept
• Methodology
• Capacity to deliver, based on proven ability to project manage and meet timelines
• Artist must hold Public Liability, Professional Indemnity and/or Workers Compensation equal to the value of the work for the duration of the contract.

Project Budget

Total project budget $150,000 ex GST all including installation costs.

Safety and Maintenance

It is essential that all public art is safe for installation in public space. CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) principles may be applicable to your design. Works that are interactive or climbable, may need to comply to the Australian Standards for playground design and also works must be engineer certified to ensure they are safe, and securely attached. Materials also need to be robust and able to withstand all manner of weather, elements and wear as well as potential abuse (we need to plan for the worst case scenario in public space), and be given a graffiti resistant coating. As part of your stage two submission we require a detailed forecast of the costs that will be associated with the maintenance of your work over its 15-20 years projected lifespan. The total amount for maintenance needs to be provided but will not be included in your site’s budget total. It will provide the information needed to ensure that all works commissioned and installed will be budgeted for as part of Council’s budget planning processes.

Project Management

Project Management of the commission is the responsibility of Council’s Creative Projects team, who will facilitate communications between artist, Council and community stakeholders.

Key Contacts

Vikki Woods, Service Unit Manager, Arts Library and Events 02 9936 8100.