Work with us / Councils
Public art commissioning for New Zealand councils.
Open, fair commissioning for bus shelters, laneways, utility boxes and town centre surfaces.
We write clear briefs, publish them as open calls, and manage the application process from receipt to selection. Artists apply with complete career records. Selection is documented. The rationale is there for annual reports, OIA requests and the next time the question comes up at the council table.
What you get
A process your team and the public can stand behind.
Open, documented commissioning
Every brief is an open call. Artists across Aotearoa apply with their full profile, CV and portfolio. The selection is explained and documented.
Clear briefs and visible budgets
We write briefs that give artists what they need to decide whether to apply and what to propose. Budget is visible. Criteria are stated.
Panel review, your way
Shortlist, score and select as a panel, on a board or in a table. Add your own panel members. Stage notifications to selected and unsuccessful applicants.
Complete artist records
Every applicant's profile, exhibition history, past commissions and CV are on file. The record is there for OIA requests, annual reports and future reference.
Te Tiriti consideration built in
Where a commission sits in a place with cultural significance, we raise iwi engagement at the brief stage and can facilitate that conversation.
Procurement-ready documentation
Process records, rationale, contracts and reporting, structured to meet council procurement requirements.
Common questions
What to expect.
How do you make the process open and fair?
Every brief goes out as an open call to artists across Aotearoa, published on Patronage with a visible budget and clear selection criteria. You shortlist and select from complete career records, portfolios and past commissions, with the rationale documented for your records.
Can you work with our council's existing procurement policy?
Yes. We are familiar with the procurement requirements that apply to council spending and can structure the process to meet them, including documentation, panel composition and notification requirements.
What surfaces do you work with for councils?
Bus shelters, laneways, utility boxes, town centre walls, retaining structures, pedestrian underpasses and stormwater infrastructure. If there is a surface, there is usually a brief to be written for it.
How do you handle Te Tiriti obligations?
We raise this at the brief-writing stage. Where a commission sits in a place with cultural significance, we recommend engagement with the relevant iwi as part of the brief process, and we can facilitate that conversation.
Can Patronage manage the application process for our own open calls?
Yes. Pipeline is the platform we use to manage applications, panel review, notifications and file delivery for any arts opportunity -- council or otherwise. Many councils run their own open calls through Pipeline.
What does it cost?
It depends on the scope, the number of commissions and the level of management required. Get in touch and we can work through what is right for your programme.
Get started
Tell us about the programme.
A surface, a budget, a procurement question or a long-term programme. Blake replies within two business days.