City of Logan public art and heritage trails
- 30 Jan 2017
The first in a series of new public art and heritage trails in Logan City has been enormously popular.
What
Through consultation with community it was identified that Logan needed to position arts, culture and heritage as a key element of Logan’s city image.
Local arts and cultural representatives wanted to promote public art and heritage sites to raise awareness in the broader community.
A list of over 100 public art and heritage sites in the City of Logan were identified and local ‘storm chasing’ photographer and artist Marty Pouwelse was commissioned to photograph each one.
Five distinct trails were developed that covered all the council divisions. These are
- Trail 1 Logan Village to Beenleigh (launched May 2016)
- Trail 2 Greenbank to Veresdale (launched February 2017)
- Trail 3 Logan Central to Kingston (launched October 2017)
- Trail 4 Underwood to Eagleby (launched October 2017)
- Trail 5 Browns Plain to Meadowbrook (launched July 2018)
Twenty-seven sites were selected for the initial trail from Logan Village to Beenleigh. An A3 foldable trail brochure was produced, with images and text detailing the 27 sites on one side and a map with legend verso. The trail map is available for free at each site and online through Council’s website.
When
May 2015 to May 2016
Where
City of Logan
Key stats
- Over 70 heritage sites identified
- Over 25 commissioned public artworks included
- 7500 trail maps to be distributed
Investment
$6,000 – Regional Arts Development Fund
RADF is a partnership between the Queensland Government and Logan City Council.
Outcomes
- Logan is increasing its reputation as a destination for quality public art, made by highly skilled artists from the community. Councillors understand the importance of public art in celebrating a sense of place and developing community pride, and have provided funds to support the development of the project.
- Part of this project’s legacy is that it has sparked the imagination of many people. Councillors, owners of heritage sites and visitors are now aware that their divisions and neighbourhoods have ‘special’ sites of interest and are using the trail to encourage visitation and engagement.
- The second trail Greenbank to Veresdale is near completion. Eventually there will be five trails across the whole region.
Learnings and reflections
The City of Logan has not been well known for its built heritage, yet there are twelve sites registered on the Queensland Heritage Register and 70 buildings of significance on the local heritage register. There are also places of significance to the Aboriginal people of Logan, and over twenty-five commissioned public artworks throughout the city.
The trail has attracted new audiences, people who weren’t aware or previously interested in Logan’s public art and heritage. It has increased their knowledge of the diversity and quality of Logan’s heritage – from churches, pubs and memorials, to the remnants of old tree-lined avenues – and, through this, how the City of Logan has come to be what it is today.
The trail provides people with points of interest about the city in which they live. While most of the public artworks are in visible places, many of the heritage places are ‘out of the way’ so the map is important to alert people as to where they can be found, and what to look for when they get there. The information about public art is important, too, as while people may drive past them each day, they may not know the story behind the artwork. The intention is to get people to discover the many fascinating aspects of their city.
There is obviously strong community interest, as there have already been three print runs of trail guide and map. Feedback from the community was actively sought at the launch and the trail was updated incorporating feedback for the next print run of 2000. This was also quickly taken – within three weeks – and another run of 5000 has been printed.
Contact for further information
Email: robyndaw@logan.qld.gov.au
Website: http://www.logan.qld.gov.au/facilities-and-recreation/arts-culture-and-heritage/heritage
A printable version (PDF) (535.11 KB) of this case study is also available.
Update 2019
The five trails across the City of Logan were published in hard copy and online between 2016 and 2018. An interactive map of the public art and heritage trails is available.
In December 2018, the City of Logan’s Public Art and Heritage Trails was named the winner of the Projects: Organisations with Paid Staff category at the 2018 Gallery and Museum Achievement Awards.