City spends millions on art
Posted Dec 5, 2010 7:28 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Over the last year and a half, during a time of recession, cutbacks and tax hikes, the city has spent more than $15-million on art.
Some Calgary aldermen say the city needs to reconsider its art policy.
Under the program, 1% of every project over $1-million is set aside for art.
Alderman Diane Colley-Urquhart is one of those on council calling for a review.
She tells the Calgary Sun, there can’t be any sacred cows when they’re trying to balance the budget and taxpayer dollars on core services.
Colley-Urquhart says such endeavours should be done on the private sector’s dime, not the public’s.
However, other alderman, like Gael Macleod, say it boils down to what Calgarians want their city to look like.
Alderman Brian Pincott says the policy works, noting that Calgary sits at about the ‘middle of the road’ compared to what other cities are spending on art.
Under the program, the city has recently spent $221-thousand on a giant metal ball; $175-thousand dollars on a water garden and, more than half a million dollars on a tentatively titled ‘Wishing Well.’
