Arts & Culture

• A City of Unley Elected Member
• Art industry representative (artist/curator)
• City of Unley Cultural Development Coordinator

• Your Artwork’s title and size (in cm)
• The medium/s used
• Your retail price (the total amount you wish your work to be sold for, including 22% commission)
• Supplying a digital image. Your image must be 300dpi and no larger than 10MB. Remember the judging panel will be selecting finalists based on the image you upload, so please ensure the image shows your artwork as clearly as possible. For further advice on images please email unleyartprize@unley.sa.gov.au

Artists at all career stages, including hobbyists, emerging artists, mid and long term career artists

Enquiries email unleyartprize@unley.sa.gov.au or phone 8372 5111.
 

Part of this Strategy addressed ‘What is Public Arts in Unley’ (pages 8,9) and Guiding Principles (pages 12,13).

Echo is a permanent public art project for the City of Unley by artist Jason Sims.

Echo is a large-scale geometric sculpture (approximately 4m high x 4.5m wide x 3m deep) that will use the properties of light and reflection to create a simple illusion of space and form.

Echo is the principal project in Year 5 of the City of Unley’s Involve Unley: Public Arts Strategy. Prior to the selection of this artwork, this project was known as Centrepiece.

It is to be in Heywood Park, Unley Park - southern side intersection of King William Road and Northgate Street.

The key themes of the artwork are to reflect local heritage, the environment and community using a contemporary sculpture which invites audiences to interact.

From the side, the sculpture will be formed of a copper-clad tetrahedron (or triangular pyramid) missing one of its four points and its opposite face. From the front and back, viewers will be able to see within and through this form. Its internal surfaces will comprise of mirrored stainless steel and reflect in such a way as to create a kind of kaleidoscope forming the illusion of an icosahedron (or geometric ball) hovering within. The icosahedron will be formed of a collection of triangles reflecting the environment directly behind and adjacent to the sculpture.

Inherently playful, the work will invite interaction. While the illusion within will be formed of reflections of the surrounding environment, these may include those of viewers who stand behind the work in line with the triangular void. The work will be positioned on one of its points and nestle into a grassy mound designed to conceal any structural supports and facilitate access to the rear triangular void (or viewing window), inviting people of all ages to engage with the work.

Echo will be a unique, large-scale work with significant presence and impact that has the potential to become an iconic public artwork. Reflecting the value the City of Unley places on community and the environment, the work has been designed to provide a unique, creative and cultural expression of Unley.

Its scale and aesthetic qualities will ensure it is visible and engaging both from a distance and on closer inspection. From afar, the work will be bold and intriguing. Its dynamic geometric form will contrast with the surrounding natural environment and arouse curiosity among passers-by, including motorists.

Comprising a series of interesting tensions, the sculpture’s natural copper finish (that will patina over time) will contrast with its highly polished interior; its dynamic geometric form will juxtapose with the natural environment within which it sits; and the seemingly static nature of the work from afar will contrast with the ever-changing reflections found within.

“I’ve always been interested in trying to create work that facilitates a very visceral experience for the viewer and instigates a kind of tug war between instinct and intellect whereby (hopefully) intellect surrenders, and the viewer allows the illusion to take hold. I like to think that exercising our imagination can change the way we perceive the world around us and how we question assumed truths.  On closer inspection, the work will surprise viewers able to see within and through the form. Capturing a kaleidoscope of reflections, the illusion of space created within its core will have a seductive quality, playing with people’s perceptions as is reflects and re-presents / maps and re-maps the surrounding environment and those who choose to interact with it. Broadly speaking, the intent of my work is not to tell a predetermined story but rather to create an object that reflects its environment, invites interaction and serves as a vehicle for contemplation so that it is accessible to all, ever-evolving and speaks directly to viewers.” Jason Sims.

The playful, interactive nature of the work ensures it will be accessible and engaging for all age groups and reflects the City’s focus on community and the park’s role as a communal space designed to support health and wellness.

It will foster connectedness, requiring two or more people, one in the role of player and the other viewer, to enjoy elements of its interactive nature and has the potential to become a ‘selfie spot’ that becomes iconic to Unley and beloved by locals.

Echo will significantly contribute to the park’s renewed appeal and vibrancy, as well as increasing awareness and enjoyment of public art.

The sculpture is clad with copper. Its internal surfaces will comprise of mirrored stainless steel.

The front will be supported by a concrete retaining wall and this will be placed on a new landscaped, grassed mound.

Three concrete steps will be built in to the mound at the rear of the sculpture.

The sculpture is 4m high, 4.5m wide and 3m deep.

The front will be supported by a concrete retaining wall that is 7.5m across.

The sculpture will be placed on a new landscaped, grassed mound that will be 8m deep.

Jason Sims is a South Australian artist who has been a practicing visual artist for around 10 years. Working in the realm of perceptual art, he creates wall works, free-standing sculptures, large-scale installations and public artworks that incorporate light and reflection to create simple illusions of space and form.

Jason has exhibited across Australia as well as in Hong Kong, the Netherlands, the UK and the USA. His work is held in major public and private collections, including Artbank, the Art Gallery of Western Australia and the Gippsland Art Gallery, and he is represented by commercial galleries in Melbourne, the USA and the Netherlands.

As a public artist, Jason has completed two major pieces of public art in recent times in Adelaide and Melbourne. Golden Rhombohedronron (actue) is a large scale glass sculpture on Bank Street, Adelaide as part of the Market to Riverbank project. MDLU 77920154 is a freestanding sculpture which acknowledges the working history of the Docklands and also its new life as a regenerated residential and entertainment hub.

Armature Design will partner with Jason on the design, fabrication and installation of the project. They have collaborated on over 50 commercial projects throughout Australia and South East Asia.

Brister and Co will fabricate all the metal components. They have experience of fabricating other iconic stainless steel public artworks including Spheres in Rundle Mall, Adelaide.

Partridge Engineering have reviewed all aspects of the design and installation and provide certification.

Ink Design and Construction will undertake the landscaping elemenst and have over 18 years experience including other work commissioned by the City of Unley.

Other professional and experienced sub-contractors will be taken on to complete individual elements of the final artwork.

Echo is a unique, large-scale work with significant presence and impact which  has the potential to become an iconic public artwork. It has been designed to reflect the value the City of Unley places on community and the environment, and thus provide a unique, creative and cultural expression of Unley.

Echo builds upon a growing amount of high quality and well respected artworks in the public realm commissioned by the City of Unley.

Echo has already been recognised as the most significant large scale piece of public art in 2019 with the award of funding from Arts South Australia. This Major Commission funding is only given for one project per year.

Following a lengthy study on locations around the City of Unley which would benefit from quality public arts, Heywood Park was considered to be the key iconic space which would be further enhanced and acknowledged by a major piece of public art, particularly considering it is the entry/gateway to King William Road.

In Year 4 of the Public Art Strategy, Arts In Your Space was a fresh, pilot project with the approach of giving established and emerging artists choices about the sites to produce pieces in high profile locations. This was based on the ongoing feedback we had received from the community. This resulted in 6 projects including walking trails with virtual artistic connections, contemporary sculptures in parks and ovals and on shared pathways, large scale two dimensional artworks and basketball court murals.

In Year 5, Council had committed to a major commission, known in the Strategy as ‘Centrepiece’. We wished to follow the same principles as Arts In Your Space and allow some choices for sites.

When Council originally gave artists the opportunity to identify locations in Unley to display a major piece of public art, over 90% gravitated towards Heywood Park. They highlighted the Indigenous, heritage, environmental and community significance of Heywood Park. 

The site planned at Heywood Park offers an expanse of green space which will provide plenty of room for viewers to safely engage with the work while ensuring it is still visible and engaging from the street/passing traffic. It is a pre-eminent position at the top of King William Road and aims to be a significant ‘gateway’ in to an iconic park in the City of Unley.

“Given the park’s history and the foresight shown by those who recognised the value of the site as a space for the community to enjoy the natural environment, in particular Mayor Langham (who was instrumental in the acquisition of the land in the early 1900s), I felt it was important to create a work that reflects and celebrates the park and the people who enjoy it on a daily basis.” Jason Sims.

​The placement of the artworks in this spot was based on several factors:

• The work is considered respectful of the landscape it will reside and literally reflects the local environment and heritage.
• ​High profile location at the top of King William Road with maximum exposure to park users and passers-by.
• Given the key themes of community, environment and heritage, the artwork has been placed carefully that when viewing from the front, the obelisk and one large gum tree was also in the person’s line of sight in to the distance.
• The site requires no removal of trees and minimum disruption to the immediate environment including underground infrastructure.
• The rear of the piece can be seen from the senior playground for further exploration by curious children.

Echo has a budget of $200,000.

A total budget of $126,000 was committed by Council to scope, develop and implement this project through its 2018/19 Annual Budget and Business Plan.

Arts South Australia supported this project with funding of $86,000 (Seed Funding and Major Commission funding).

Involve Unley: Public Arts Strategy intentionally expresses the potential that public arts have to engage and interact with the community of Unley directly. A key intention of the Strategy is how to involve the community authentically, using participation as a primary condition of public art in Unley through this strategy.

Involve Unley: Public Arts Strategy considers how public arts can create unique experiences for the community and how the City of Unley can develop an ‘experience economy’. The Strategy aims to activate spaces through public arts experiences which will support and encourage a sense of community and connection. The types of public art and actions recommended by the Strategy are designed to encourage cultural animation and social engagement throughout the City.

Council’s public arts approval process has remained mostly the same over the past 12 years and is a generally followed procedure in all public sector commissioning across South Australia.

Echo was the outcome Year 5 of the Public Arts Strategy called Centrepiece. In the development of the Strategy and subsequent ongoing discussions with community over time and with Elected Members, as representatives of their local communities, Heywood Park was identified as a high profile site for public artworks to reflect its unique position in the Unley landscape and as one of our ‘successful’ parks with diverse users.

This project was endorsed by Council through its 2018/19 Annual Budget and Business Plan.

From here a brief was developed for artists and distributed through the normal professional arts networks.

Expressions of interest were sought and artists were shortlisted by a panel made of an independent arts professional for Arts South Australia, Guildhouse representatives, staff with experience in the public realm and Elected Members. A clear criteria is always used to rank and approve the artists to go from expressions of interest through to the final selection of 3 teams of artists.

Preferred artists then go through detailed design with independent risk assessment before final approval from staff and Elected Members.

After this the project goes into final fabrication, installation and commission.

Jason Sims was chosen from a range of high quality applicants and concepts. Jason’s proposal was the stand out proposal for uniqueness, innovation and relationship to the local environment. Already a destination, Echo encourages our community to view Heywood Park as a highly valuable cultural asset through Jason’s artistic lens and support the Council in enhancing its reputation as a champion for arts in the public realm.

Echo has been subsequently chosen to be the only funded Major Commission project of Arts South Australia chosen from applications by Councils and other organisations from around the State. This funding is assessed by a peer assessment panel with final approval by the Premier Steven Marshall in his role as responsible for The Arts.

Artists’ creativity, vision and professional development, diversity of practice and community aspirations are at the heart of all work which has been commissioned in the last 10 years. Unley has a reputation as a leader and innovator for arts in the public realm. Strong collaborations with arts organisations such as Open Space Contemporary Arts, SA Writers Centre, SALA Festival and Guildhouse have opened doors for more artists from all around South Australia to participate in arts in the public realm than before.

The City of Unley has funded and delivered countless arts-based projects. In the last 4 years alone, the City of Unley has committed over $ 345 000 plus staff time to arts projects in the public realm.

The City of Unley has been a long time supporter of public art by established artists. In recent times Council has commissioned notable artists such as Marijana Tadic, Greg Healy, Nicholas Uhlmann, Rick Clise, Vans the Omega and Seb Humphreys. Council has supported professional development for emerging artists through Carclew’s City Sites project and Future Child (with support from Arts SA) at Heywood Park by Jacqueline Barmentloo in 2009.

Since 2014 the City of Unley has created and delivered projects such as linger longer, Found, out, All Connections to Unley, Emerging Art Walls, Four Elements rejuvenation, Water Tanks exhibition, Goodwood Road Streetscape and Discover Historic Goodwood. Documentation of these projects can be found at www.unley.sa.gov.au/arts.

Echo is a significant financial, philosophical and policy commitment by the City of Unley. Echo is an opportunity for the City of Unley to contribute a valuable addition to the State’s collection of iconic public art pieces.

In recent times, this reputation has been acknowledged with funding from Arts South Australia for Arts In Your Space and most significantly, the Public Art and Design Major Commission for Echo in 2018/19. This major commission is only given to one project, once a year, and is considered to be the most prestigious funding in public art in South Australia.

Detailed Design has been submitted. This includes the final concepts, engineering specifications, safety and environmental considerations, and technical specifications and fabrication.

It is planned that fabrication will commence at the end of March 2019.

Site preparation, construction and installation is planned to commence late July 2019 for a period of two weeks.

Site preparation, construction and installation is planned to commence late July 2019 for a period of two weeks.

Installation will be conducted in a way that is sensitive to the Park and its users and minimizes any disruption.

Any site preparation will be undertaken within an area less than 40m2 that is inaccessible to the general public.  Wherever possible construction will take place off site.

Installation will be conducted in a way that is sensitive to the Park and its users and minimizes any disruption.

Full site remediation will be undertaken following installation.

It is anticipated that subtle lighting will be used to illuminate the sculpture at night, via movement activated sensors.

This lighting component will be incorporated in to the plans and installation of the Smart Cities Project being managed concurrently with Echo.

All lighting will be directed at the sculpture and will not cause any reflection over a wider distance.

Subtle lighting will also be used to feature the obelisk memorial.

A full solar study has been conducted to assess the impact of reflected sunlight in the surrounding area. This involved using a specialised computer program to position the sculpture in the park and simulate the movement of the sun over the course of a year.

The primary aim of the study was to determine if the reflective surfaces within the sculpture caused any significant flare issues for motorists on King William Rd. and Northgate St. Particular focus was placed on traffic travelling west to east on Northgate St. and traffic travelling south to north on King William Rd. approaching the T-junction. Solar flare on any of the park’s surrounding properties was also assessed.

The study identified some solar flare within the focus zones, mainly during the winter months, but it is not of considerable scale or duration. The artwork’s angle and position are considered optimal for mitigating the potential risk to motorists while maintaining visual impact, and properties are screened by foliage/fencing.

Minor damage can be rectified with cleaning agents and buffing. Major vandalism may require replacement of panels.

The City of Unley will be responsible for maintenance.

It is hard to estimate the exact life. But subject to maintenance, the artwork should have a life of at least 20 years.

Cutting-edge technology and a new playground will be installed at Heywood Park, making it a focal point for Council this year.

The City of Unley has secured a $264,000 Smart Cities and Suburbs Grant from the Federal Government to integrate smart technology at Heywood Park, improving safety and usability of the popular park and reducing operating and maintenance costs.

It is also the recipient of $150,000 from the State Government’s Fund My Neighbourhood initiative for a mini ninja obstacle course in the park. Echo will complement this commitment to a suite of community friendly, interactive features.

King William Road is also in the process of a re-design which will integrate public art. Echo will sit at the top of a new King William Road once all phases have been completed.

Once final plans have been approved by Council, further information will be made available on Council’s website.

The consultation process for Council’s Involve Unley Public Arts Strategy engaged many residents who listed Heywood park as a priority location for public arts.

Appropriate selection of the artwork followed industry practice and was made by an expert and representative panel.

Echo was the outcome of Year 5 of the Public Arts Strategy called Centrepiece. In the development of the Strategy and subsequent ongoing discussions with community over time and with Elected Members, as representatives of their local communities, Heywood Park was identified as a high profile site for public artworks to reflect its unique position in the Unley landscape and as one of our ‘successful’ parks with diverse users.

There is no opportunity for community input in this project at this stage.

Following the completion of the three projects underway in Heywood Park it is planned to have a celebration at the Park.

Your feedback will be considered and answered where appropriate.

The artwork will be maintained by the City of Unley following completion of the commission. A maintenance schedule will be provided by the artist.

The obelisk and the local flora will be further featured by this new contemporary sculpture and ‘reflected’ in the stainless steel panels.

The obelisk in the middle of the park and original entry pillars at the top of Westall Street will be rejuvenated by pressure cleaning, re-pointing and painting by professional heritage restorers.

No trees are to be removed at any stage of the installation of the artworks.

All safety issues regarding the elements of the artwork, its construction, installation and final site is being managed by the artists and overseen and approved by staff of the City of Unley.

No. The artworks are not a piece of playground equipment. However, people are encouraged to engage appropriately with the artwork.

The size of the structure does not require planning approval. Building approval will be given based on the engineering plans submitted and safety requirements undertaken.

 

Two contemporary 2m white mild steel sculptural artworks by artist Bridget Currie are complemented by Giant Sea Squill and Native Chocolate Lily bulbs within their space, which will give the sculptures a different perspective with the changing seasons. Bridget is one of Adelaide’s foremost contemporary artists represented by Greenaway Gallery and has exhibited around the world. These sculptures are among the first contemporary conceptual artworks we have commissioned in the public realm. Bridget explains,

“The form of the sculptural elements is abstract, developed intuitively in relation to the site. What is a visitor to the Henry Codd Reserve thinking? The action of walking, memories, abstract thoughts, sensory information from the environment are all layered together. As we float in our own thoughts it is imagined that the white sculptural forms will float in the park setting providing a moment of stillness and contemplation.

Ideas of regeneration, time and transcience are evoked by the life cycle of a bulb. The cyclical nature of flowering bulbs allows an element of anticipation and familiarity to develop for members of the local community and regular users of the park. I hope that the growth of the bulbs within the structure becomes a regular event that can be looked forward to and enjoyed with pride by the local community."
 

 

Two mild steel domes representing bee hives have been created by artist Ellen Schlobohm close to the playground and subtly placed in the mulch beneath the cork trees but clearly visible from the main oval. Ellen explains,

“The design for the dome reflects a beehive and its inhabitants. Bees live in communities and work together to prosper and grow. This reflects the way the community within the City of Unley comes together for events, makes way for new infrastructure and supports local businesses and produce. The domes celebrate community and emphasise the value of coming together, to work, to live and to thrive. My proposed site for the domes is Goodwood Oval which is an important part of this community. Locals come to watch sporting matches, host family picnics and enjoy the fantastic playground area. The space connects people from all aspects of the community and can only be enhanced with public art which will be enjoyed for years to come.

I also chose to use the hive and bee motifs in my designs as I believe it is important to recognise the vital role that bees play in our overall ecosystem and the impact modern society has had on their natural environment. We need to encourage our bee populations to grow in a way that is sustainable and healthy for both the bees and the community. The domes encourage people to consider this issue and provides a starting point for conversations between parents and their children about respecting our environment.”

 

Ways of Walking is a walking tour of everyday walks and unique experiences of local people in Malvern, Highgate, Fullarton and Myrtle Bank. Artist Cynthia Schwertsik gathered stories, memories and activities of local residents through community engagement at Highgate Primary School, Fullarton Park Community Centre and other Council facilities. Cynthia has re-told their stories on stobie pole signs (which pay homage to our everyday regulatory street signage) and re-interpreted them with videos, photos and images. By downloading the QR Code app you can enjoy 20 mini-artworks and “reveal the pleasures encountered by residents every day and open a portal to share the joy both in the real space as well as in the virtual” (Cynthia Schwertsik).

Ways of Walking is part of an ongoing series of walking trails and are available by using the IZI.travel app. Go to the App Store on your phone, download izi.TRAVEL, work your way through the introduction and go to 'all guides' at the bottom of the screen to reveal Discover Historic Goodwood. And don’t forget to download the QR code app as well.

Please check out Discover Historic Goodwood, Discover Historic Unley, Goodwood Road Streetscape artworks and, during SALA Festival, SALA in Unley.

 

 

This 18 metre artwork created by Project2Project is a celebration of the Unley Swimming Centre creating a strong sense of nostalgia and fun. Using historical and contemporary images on the rear wall of the Swimming Centre’s change rooms, this image will make you come back time and again to see the many contemporary ’disruptions’ Project2Project have added. As they say,

“We believe that artworks in the public realm should engage the viewer multiple times and to this end we create work that is playful and has a sense of discovery: hidden treasures to be experienced over time.”

 

Two colourful 2.8m concrete and steel sculptures created by artist Cheryll Johns are a playful expression on the amount of signage we have in our public realm and ‘directs’ the large amount of pedestrians and cyclists who travel in both directions along Glen Osmond Creek. Cheryll says,

“This way and that’ is a response to the pathways winding through the site. A tongue in cheek twist on signage. A thoroughfare doesn’t have to be seen as a disadvantage. A path is a shared space where different people’s journeys cross and intersect, take u-turns and about-faces. Life isn’t ruled by a straight path. People smile at each other, wave, stop and talk to each other bringing their own personal take on the world with them, touching other’s world as they pass another. Individual moments come together to form a collective experience. This is the value of a public pathway. ‘This way and that’ celebrates inclusive spaces for everyone’s journey.

Go to the App Store on your phone, download izi.TRAVEL, work your way through the introduction and go to 'all guides' at the bottom of the screen to reveal Discover Historic Goodwood.

Discover Historic Goodwood is part of an ongoing series of historic walking trails, including Discover Historic Unley which was launched in 2014 and the Unley Road Traders’ Business History Makers in 2016. 

More information on these can be found at the Unley Museum at 80 Edmund Avenue, Unley.

We say thank you all in our community who participated in this project.

Discover Historic Goodwood is a collaboration between Open Space Contemporary Arts, Alyssa Hill Consulting, Smart Artisans, the vibrant Goodwood community and the City of Unley.
 
Project management: City of Unley and Open Space Contemporary Arts
Historical content and images: Unley Museum
Story collectors: Emma Beech and Susie Skinner
Sound design: Jason Sweeney
App management: Alyssa Hill Consulting
Streetscape pavers: Smart Artesans

All Connections to Unley Art Prize was offered for the first time in 2016. South Australian artists, young people and children were invited to create artworks drawing on their personal connection to the City of Unley. Entries were open to artworks in two dimensional mediums, including painting, photography, drawing, printmaking, collage and new media.

​In May 2016, the finalists and winners in each of the categories were presented in an exhibition at the Hughes Gallery, Fullarton Park Community Centre. The finalists were selected by the judging panels to be at the highest level of the entry collective. These artists were selected based on technique, creativity and engagement with the theme of “All Connections to Unley”. Karen Paris has curated this exhibition.

On Friday 6 May at the Hughes Gallery, Mayor Lachlan Clyne presented the prizes to the winners.

Open Category: Peter Barnes

Prize: $5,000

Youth Category: Emma

Prize: $1,000 plus mentorship or short course (value $500)

Children Category: Yike

Prize: $500 worth of art making materials

People's Choice: Sarah McDonald

The artworks of the winners in each of the categories have been reproduced on selected public bins across the City of Unley. Now a limited edition sticker set for residents’ blue bins is available to Unley residents. Phone Customer Service on 8372 5111 to get hold of your set.

• By Blackbird Coffee and Dessert Cafe, Shop 4, 100 King William Road, Hyde Park
• Hyde Park Bakery, 1 Mitchell Street, Hyde Park
• Pellegrini Café, 169 Unley Road, Unley
• Lunch Club, Unley Shopping Centre, Unley Road
• Carnevale Coffee 114 East Avenue, Clarence Park