Step 1: Find a site
Identify a mural site, assess its condition and if suitable to install a mural find out who owns it and ask for permission.
The site may have significance to mana whenua and/or it might be listed on Pouhere Taonga Heritage New Zealand as having heritage value. The District Plan identifies sites of significance to Māori, and buildings and objects that are heritage listed. You can access both the current District Plan and the proposed District Plan on our website. Council’s City Arts team can provide more guidance if needed.
Step 2: Select an artist
Commission an artist/ group of artists to design the mural. Ensure the reason for creating a mural is clear, and those involved know what their role and responsibilities are.
The project manager may require the mural artist to engage with a community to discuss themes of significance or the concerns and values of a particular community. Council's City Arts team can help to identify an artist.
Step 3: Seek approval
Ensure approval for the mural design.
This will be from a project's key stakeholders, for example mana whenua, site owners, mural sponsors, a community etc. Allow time and budget for any recommended changes to the mural design.
Step 4: Plan and prepare
Complete administrative and regulatory requirements for mural painting and prepare the site.
For example, the project manager and/ or artist may need to:
- compile a budget and apply for funding
- draft a Health and Safety plan, Council can provide advice if needed, see Health and Safety at work act 2015 on Worksafe.govt.nz
- apply for a Corridor Access Request, if working on a footpath/ near a road
- apply for a Traffic Management plan, if traffic is impacted
- apply for Public Liability Insurance, insurance that covers an artist for any unintended personal injury or property damage they may cause. Experienced mural artists should carry a small amount of public liability insurance.
- clean, repair and undercoat the wall so it can accommodate a mural.
Note: murals are considered temporary public artworks and are exempt from the Resource Consent process in Wellington City.
Step 5: Install the mural
Paint the mural or affix the artwork (on boards/ banner) on site.
When the mural is being installed ensure that key stakeholders, including the surrounding community, know what's happening and when, and undertake to film or photograph the development of the mural. When install is complete, an anti-graffiti-coating can be applied to protect the artwork from graffiti.
Step 6: Celebrate the project
Organise a blessing or an event to mark the completion of the mural.
Celebrating the completion of a mural is an important step for those involved and provides a chance to say thank you, acknowledge the artist, stakeholders, community and the achievement.
Step 7: Monitor and evaluate the mural
The project manager or assigned project owner (for example the property owner) should monitor the mural throughout its agreed lifespan, assess its condition once a year or every couple of years, and decide what will happen to it at the end of its agreed life. For example, refresh it, paint it out or extend its lifespan.
Council considers murals temporary public artworks and does not have budget to maintain them. They are subject to their environment and will weather over time. Murals typically last up to ten years, sometimes longer, sometimes not as long, depending on the site and their relevance.
The success of a mural could be evaluated and measured according to whether its purpose or objectives have been met. Mural participants and the surrounding community could be surveyed, or anecdotal information collated.
Further information
Funding
Murals might be eligible for support from a Council grant. Council administers two arts-related grants:
For more information about Council funding, please see the funding section of our website.
We recommend seeking funding from a variety of sources, for example sponsorship from aligned businesses, crowdsourcing from an arts platform like boosted.org.nz and applying to other funders for support, for example local Trusts and Foundations.
Intellectual Property and Copyright
The Intellectual Property created by designing and painting a mural should remain the exclusive property of the artist. The artist as the author of the artwork can therefore assert their rights under the Copyright Act (1994). For more information about Copyright in respect of murals please see the website, Bad Exposure.
Note that Intellectual Property is the general term for any invention or creation that can be protected by national and international law. Copyright (and trademarking) protect some types of intellectual property.