Curation and Delivery
Every artwork needs the right idea, the right artist and a delivery process that protects both. Some briefs arrive fully formed. Many begin with a site, a cultural milestone or an ambition, and some with no brief at all. ART AID brings each to life. We generate concepts, curate and commission artists, and manage delivery, working side by side with our clients, artists, builders and suppliers from the first conversation to handover.
Our curatorial network spans leading Australian and international artists, with long-standing relationships with First Nations artists and creative practices. We have delivered more than 100 mural artworks across Australia and New Zealand, alongside sculptures, retail installations, activations, events and spaces for private and public sector clients.
Where a public art plan or approval is required, our planning scope can sit within the same engagement, so one team carries the work from approval through to installation.
From idea to commission
Many of our projects begin with an open brief. For Broadway Sydney, we pitched concepts, artists and budgets for two cultural moments, and both were commissioned: Stay Deadly by Jessica Johnson for NAIDOC Week, anchored by a large-scale inflatable artwork we proposed for the centre's five-storey void, and JOY by Spenser Harrison, in alignment with Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. For the Adolescent and Young Adult Hospice, we developed a creative residency from first concept, brought the right partners together and secured the sponsorship from Dexus that made it possible.
In step with every program
Delivery runs to our clients' timelines, whether that is a construction schedule, a centre's trading calendar or a fixed celebration date. We align artist programs, fabrication and installation with each one, coordinating access, logistics and approvals so the artwork arrives at the right moment.
Who we work with
Developers, builders and asset owners delivering public art, retail and commercial destinations commissioning murals and installations, and councils and organisations marking cultural moments. We deliver plans prepared by ART AID and by other consultants, as well as briefs that begin with a single idea.
Capabilities
- Original concept development and creative proposals for commissions, activations and cultural celebrations
- Partnership and sponsorship development, bringing the right stakeholders together around an idea
- Mural commissions for retail, commercial and residential destinations
- Artist programs and installations for cultural celebrations, including NAIDOC Week and Mardi Gras
- Review of existing public art plans, briefs and site conditions
- Artist recommendations drawn from an Australian and international network, including First Nations artists
- Shortlisting and selection, by direct invitation, limited competition or expression of interest
- Detailed artist briefing on site, context, budget, program and technical requirements
- Commissioning agreements covering fees, milestones and deliverables, with ICIP provisions where required
- Licensing agreements covering intellectual property, reproduction rights and licence terms, including renewals and extensions
- Concept and design development, with curatorial feedback at each stage
- Reporting to clients, councils and project stakeholders at agreed milestones
- Stakeholder management across commissioners, councils, artists, builders, suppliers and community
- Procurement and supplier engagement, from fabricators and engineers to installers
- Fabrication oversight, including sampling, prototyping and quality review
- Engineering, certification and safety documentation, coordinated with specialist consultants
- Project management across artists, builders and suppliers, aligned with each program
- Installation coordination, including access, logistics, inspections and artwork plaques
- Handover documentation, including maintenance and care instructions
Methodology
Our approach to delivering public art, from first brief to handover.
01
Engage and define.
We review any existing plan, brief or site, or develop the concept from first principles, then confirm the budget, program and approvals with the commissioner.
02
Select and commission.
We recommend artists, run the shortlist and selection, brief the selected artists in detail and put commissioning and licensing agreements in place, with the final decision resting with the commissioner.
03
Develop and document.
We guide the artists through concept and design development, coordinate engineering and technical input, and report to the commissioner and project stakeholders at each milestone.
04
Fabricate and deliver.
We engage suppliers or work alongside the commissioner's contractors, oversee fabrication through sampling and prototyping, and coordinate installation, completing handover with the documentation needed for final sign-off.
Where a public art plan is required, our planning services are outlined under Strategy and Planning.
Frequently asked questions
Do we need a public art plan to work with ART AID?
No. Many projects begin with a site, a cultural program or an open brief, and some with no brief at all. We develop the concept, curate the artists and manage delivery. Where a plan or approval is required, it can sit within the same engagement.
Can ART AID deliver a plan prepared by another consultant?
Yes. We begin by reviewing the plan against the site, budget and program, confirming what has been approved and identifying any gaps before artists are engaged.
Who contracts the artists and suppliers?
We agree the contracting model with each commissioner at the outset, based on the type of work. For permanent public art, artists are usually contracted directly to the commissioner, as this provides the clearest path to long-term ownership of the artwork. For temporary works and activations, ART AID typically contracts the artists and suppliers. Where a commissioner has established suppliers, we integrate them into the delivery team.
How is the budget managed?
We allocate the budget across artist fees, fabrication, engineering and installation at the outset, and report against it at each milestone, updating the cost plan as designs are resolved.
How does ART AID work with builders and centre management?
We coordinate directly with builders, centre management and project teams on program, access, structural integration and installation, including overnight installs that keep centres trading, so the artwork is planned in rather than added at the end.
What happens after installation?
We complete handover with maintenance and care instructions, artwork plaques and any documentation required for final reporting and sign-off. Where deinstallation is required, it is planned and built into the budget from the outset.
ART AID has been an absolute pleasure to work with. The vibrancy, activity and visitation they have brought to the precinct through their stunning, constantly evolving gallery has been felt by the whole community at 200 George Street.
Nyi Nyi Maung, Sales Manager, Brands and Experiences, Asset Management, Mirvac
Planning a commission, activation or cultural program? Let's shape the brief together.
Talk to us about your project
