The government published the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) on the 27th March 2012. ixia welcomes the inclusion and prominence given to cultural well-being and good design within the NPPF.

Click here for more information.

• FcNK by Clive Parkinson explores the relationship between art in the public realm and well-being. He investigates public art’s sometimes superficiality and its occasional potential to question societal norms.
• Public Art and the Art of the Public — After the Creative City by Jonathan Vickery is a short study which aims to assess the current situation of public art in the UK within an urban cultural policy context.
• The Past and Possible Future of Countermonument, also by Jonathan Vickery, looks at the frameworks of thought and practice of ‘countermonument’.

Click here for more information about ixia’s guidance documents and Evaluation Database.

This followed on from the House of Commons Communities and Local Government Committee stating, on 15th December, that it sees ‘a compelling case’ for the inclusion of ‘a cultural dimension as part of the social pillar of the definition of sustainable development’ within the NPPF.

Click here to watch the House of Lords debate on the Parliament website. The discussion begins at 14.59.54 according to the video timer. Click here to read the written transcript of the debate.

For more information about the NPPF on ixia’s website, please click here.

Nearly 700 people participated in ixia’s Public Art Survey 2011. Of these, 500 work in the public art sector in the UK. However, our sample sizes for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are too small to be confident in using the data, so the key findings concentrate on public art in England.

The survey is the first of its kind, and deals with a fragmented public art sector that can be difficult to define. The sector encompasses a variety of disciplines and organisations including: arts, planning, local authorities, development, regeneration, health and education. As a result, there are a wide range of work contexts that include: self-employed, which applies to the majority and comprises artists and public art consultants; full-time and part-time public art employees; full-time and part-time employees who have some involvement with public art; voluntary workers; and students.

Having correlated the survey’s sample with known population distributions, ixia’s databases and other data sources, ixia has been able to make a number of observations and estimates. Click here to download the Summary.

Jonathan Banks, ixia’s Chief Executive, said ‘we are pleased with the Committee’s support for cultural activities and are looking forward to commenting on the Government’s response’.

The Committee was invited by the Government to review the draft NPPF, a process which included a call for evidence from external organisations and individuals. Its comments are an acknowledgement of the significant number of submissions which ‘drew attention to the lack of specific references to culture and the arts.’

The Committee’s report is currently being considered by the Government. ixia will keep you updated on any further developments.

To read the Committee’s report click here.

To read responses to the draft NPPF by ixia and other organisations click here.

• information about CIL;
• advice regarding the development and implementation of public art projects as part of community infrastructure projects funded via CIL;
• advice regarding the development and implementation of public art projects as part of specific development projects funded via planning obligations.

To download ixia’s Note, please click here.

Louise has produced a response document to the conference. Click here to download it.

For more information about the conference, click here.

To ensure that public art continues to be supported via the planning system, it is critical that public art is properly represented within national planning policies. Therefore, ixia urges you to respond to the Government’s consultation, using our response to inform your comments. The government’s deadline for responses is 17th October 2011.

For further information and to read ixia’s response, please click here.

The conference is now SOLD OUT. For more information and to download a conference programme, please click here.