Local Government – Cabinet art is spreading in Porirua

Chorus is again working with Porirua City Council to extend its cabinet art programme in the district and is calling for designs from local artists.

Four further cabinets in Porirua have been chosen for beautification and artists are encouraged to get their designs in.

The project, which sees some of their more frequently tagged cabinets painted in art works, has been very successful so Chorus has again partnered with Porirua City Council to extend its reach further.

Chorus Community Relations Manager Jo Seddon says that it makes sense to partner with local councils, as they know their communities best.

“It is great to work with local councils when it comes to choosing cabinets and designs. We’ve been working with Porirua City Council since 2016 and now have more than 25 murals throughout the city,” she says.

“We’re really looking forward to seeing what local artists come up with.”

These cabinets become works of art in the street. They often tell the stories of the local community and also helps to discourage tagging.

Bill Inge, Porirua City Council’s Village Projects Coordinator, will again be coordinating designs and artists for this project. He says it is a great opportunity for artists to showcase their talents to the Porirua community and the wider world.

“This is a win-win for our communities. Not only do we get fantastic artworks in our streets, but it also provides work and promotes our local artists,” he says.

Requests for designs are now open and the winning design for each cabinet will be chosen from entries received.

All finished art will be included on the Chorus website and will be considered for the 2022 Chorus Cabinet Art calendar, copies of which are sent around the world.

Existing murals can be seen here.

Background:

In 2010 Chorus began a trial in Auckland to test if art works on the cabinets decreased the frequency of tagging.

This proved successful so the programme has been extended to include artworks throughout the country.

The main criteria for considering a cabinet as a candidate for artwork is the frequency of tagging, as the mural becomes cost effective through eliminating cleaning costs. However other avenues are also considered, such as community or council requests and involvement.