Every journey starts with a single step, but Tauranga's journey towards a Public Arts Policy has taken a major leap this month.

The Public Art Talks series held around the city recently gave locals an opportunity to learn about public art, its role within communities, and why a policy would be beneficial to the city.

The keynote speakers for the ‘sense of place - the contribution of Māori narrative through art' discussion during Saturday's Public Art Talk at Baycourt included, from left: Tawhai Rickards, Tracey Tawhiao, Antoine Coffin and panel chair Julie Paama-Pengelly. Photo: Brydie Photography.

The community-led initiative saw three talks held - the first at The Incubator on February 12, the second at the Tauranga Art Gallery on February 20, and the third at Baycourt on February 21.

Understandably, event developer Sonya Korohina is a little exhausted today but she's very pleased with how the talks have run and been received by the community.

'They were amazing conversations that looked at the idea of public art from many different angles,” says Sonya. 'Overall I'm just really delighted by the response to these three talks.

'It's not just about people coming along on the day - it's also about the wider conversations that are starting to take place out in our community.”

Sonya adds: 'What came through really strongly in each of the talks is that a policy is just a part of the picture.”

'In actual fact, what we need from our leaders is a strong vision for art in public spaces in our city, and we need a strategy, and we need a vision. It's cart before the horse stuff.”

Last Friday's talk at the art gallery saw the audience addressed by keynote speaker Deborah McCormick, director of Christchurch's SCAPE Public Art trust.

Under her directorship the trust has commissioned more than 150 new permanent and temporary public artworks with a gifting programme of eight permanent artworks, says Sonya.

She also adds that in 15 years SCAPE has privately fundraised $8million worth of projects for Christchurch, with those sculptures being created by international, national and emerging artists.

'What was interesting is that all works were developed in a meaningful way,” says Sonya, 'with the community and all the projects really connecting the people of Christchurch with the art work.

'This talk looked at it [public arts policy] from a private sculpture trust's perspective, so it is different types of funding and art practice in public spaces which they enable through programmes.”

Saturday's Public Art Talk at Baycourt also featured projects from BOP Polytechnic Bachelor of Creative Industry students with suggested artworks for sites around the Mount and Tauranga. Photo: Brydie Photography.

The series then moved to the Baycourt X-Space for a full-on day of talks that saw a wide and eclectic range of speakers engaging with audiences for about seven hours on Saturday.

The topics covered include, artists engaging with cities, sites and communities, integrating public art into urban spaces and design, the contribution of Māori narrative through art and the formal processes involved in establishing pieces of public art.

Without wanting to highlight one speaker over another, Sonya says there were a couple of talks throughout the day which really resonated with her.

'Regan Gentry, the artist working on the TEL sculptures, spoke about the importance of communication and education around public art starting at an early age,” she says.

'He mentioned a project of his in Christchurch where hoardings around the site included interpretive details of the project, so right from the beginning people knew what was happening.”

Sonya was also fascinated by the talk presented by Auckland City Council's ‘Design Champion' and Design Office general manager Ludo Cambell-Reid.

She says it was extremely interesting to learn about the regeneration of public spaces around Auckland's CBD and Ludo's 'holistic approach to building cities”

Sonya adds: 'Ludo also challenged us to look at the amount of effort and money we put into roads, cars and traffic, and to re-think public spaces as places first and foremost for people.”

Overall, Sonya says the series has helped to generate a much-needed conversation within the community - a conversation she is overjoyed to see taking place.

Public submissions on the Draft Public Arts Policy close this Friday and Sonya is hoping the community will come out in force to have their say.

'There's huge support for a policy out there in the community, amongst organisations, on social media - the support is everywhere,” she explains.

'I think it's time to show that we value a culture of creativity in our community and I look forward to seeing how this will go.

'So if you want to be heard then make your submission.”

Public submissions on the Tauranga City Council's Draft Public Arts Policy close this Friday, February 27, at 4pm.

To view and make a submission on the Tauranga City Council's Draft Public Arts Policy visit: www.tauranga.govt.nz

Local artist Heidi Borchardt creating a beautiful piece during Saturday's Public Art Talk at Baycourt. Photo: Brydie Photography.