GORAINCHEM The art in Gorinchem needs more maintenance. This is evidenced by an inventory carried out by the municipality of Gorinchem in the field of art in public spaces. The municipality prepared this inventory in response to a request from the municipal council in 2020. In it, he urged the municipal council, as the representative of the population, to improve the maintenance of art in public spaces. Accordingly, the municipal executive has carried out an inventory exercise, is working on improving maintenance within existing budgets and is establishing an advisory group.

Dick van Zanten, local council member for culture: Our inventory shows that the maintenance of our art in public spaces can be improved. Within our current budget we will give impetus to art preservation. We will do this by combining activities in a smarter way, for example by working with Avres. We will also prioritize green work in art. Because if the green space around a work of art is better preserved, it will have a positive effect on the state of the art. Consider preventing algae growth and algae formation on artwork that can arise in artwork that is sandwiched between tall plants or plants that sprout in small crevices, which can cause further collapse of the art.”

advisory group A group of concerned residents offered to advise the municipality about art in public spaces. Dick Van Xanten: We highly value the knowledge and experience of these residents. We have had discussions with them and will now formalize the group, under the name “Adviesgroep Kunst in de public space”. The advisory group will advise us, among other things, on the state of the artworks in our municipality. In addition, we appeal to the knowledge of the members of this advisory group about the process of (re)laying the art. “

By the way, not all art in Gorinchem belong to the municipality. Companies, institutions and the housing establishment also have artworks on their sites that can be seen from the public road. Dick van Xanten: The angel art other than the municipality also provides an important added value to the beauty and quality of life in Gorinsheim. The quality and state of maintenance of this art partly determine the experience of art at Gorinsheim. That’s why, with the advisory group, we want to investigate whether we can work with art owners and residents to improve the maintenance of all art in public spaces.”

extra effort The reason for the inventory is the movement “The Art of Maintenance in Public Spaces”. This proposal was submitted by the political parties Gorcum Actief, PvdA, GroenLinks and D66 and the municipal council adopted the proposal on July 9, 2020. In this proposal, the municipal council asks the municipal executive to make an extra effort in the maintenance and, if necessary, repair of art in the public space in Gorinsheim . The Board is now implementing the proposal by making an inventory of the current state of maintenance, enhancing maintenance and appointing an advisory group.