Significant Art and Monuments Register FAQs

A: The purpose of the National Trust’s Significant Public Art and Monuments Register is to identify and record public art and monuments of cultural heritage significance. The committee aims to educate the public and government authorities about the heritage values of public works and encourage members of the community, and the owners to value and conserve such objects.

We encourage people to nominate significant public art and monuments for assessment. If you would like to nominate a work, please click here. Works are not limited to public art and monuments, and can be memorials, sculptures, fountains, mosaic floors etc.

A: Once your nomination is received, it will be assessed by the National Trust’s Public Art and Monuments Committee. The Committee comprises individuals with a variety of professional qualifications.

The Committee meets quarterly so please be aware your nomination may not be assessed immediately. If your nomination is urgent, please contact us at trust@ntwa.com.au. Works that are to be included on the Register are sent to the National Trust’s Council for final approval. Once the assessment process has been completed you will be notified of the outcome. If the work(s) is to be included onto the Register, the relevant Local Government, agency, or State Department will also be notified and encouraged to ensure the work(s) is retained and protected.

A: The Significant Public Art and Monuments Register does not have a statutory role. The purpose of the Register is educational as well as being an important record of Western Australia’s heritage.

Registration does not have any legal status and does not impinge on the rights of ownership in any way. Registration does not imply a right of access by the public. The National Trust hopes that owners respect the significance of the registered work(s).

A: Whilst we advocate for the retention of all work(s) on the Significant Public Art and Monuments Register, listing does not carry any statutory (legal) implications. Local Government authorities may refer development applications to us, or request our input, however they are not bound by our recommendations.

A: There are several factors that are assessed to determine whether a work has cultural heritage value. These criteria include aesthetic, historical, social/spiritual, and scientific value, as well as a work’s rarity/representativeness and condition/completeness.

A: No, the Register includes works from all over Western Australia and we welcome nominations from wherever you are across the State.

A: Public art and monuments contribute to our understanding and appreciation of our cultural and natural heritage, enhancing our built environment and creating more meaningful public spaces.

There is broad acceptance of the positive role art can play in improving the public experience of buildings and spaces. Public art can deliver social, aesthetic, economic, cultural and heritage benefits which include the following:

• Contribute to aesthetic aspects of a site/location and the experience of the built environment.
• Foster social cohesion and provide a means to engage with the community.
• Assist in determining a site’s uniqueness and contribute to a community’s cultural identity.
• Contribute to transforming urban and regional landscapes.
• Celebrate and/or commemorate a place or an event and provide a contemporary response to historical and cultural contexts.
• Express/reflect/reveal community values or how the world is viewed at a particular point in time.
• Foster collaboration between artists, architects and all those involved in the development and installation of public art and/or monuments.
• Generate economic opportunities for artists and local industry.
• Stimulate innovation in local and national fabrication technologies.
• Provide impetus for further learning and visual and cultural awareness.
• Stimulate cultural tourism.
• Facilitate advocacy and engagement of art and culture with the public through its broad reach.