– The idea is that the public art should be able to remain as long as possible, says Frej Berglind Drake, curator Västerås art museum.
Each year, money is set aside from Västerås city’s culture fund for maintenance and restoration measures of the public art. How much depends on the return for the fund and what other activities the cultural administration is planning.
In recent years, the annual budget has been around SEK 200,000, but in 2023 there is double that, SEK 400,000, to use. Money which, despite the great need for maintenance measures, is deemed sufficient. Currently, it is mainly works of art from the end of the 20th century that need to be remedied.
Going forward, however, the maintenance need for public art is expected to increase significantly. In the last ten years alone, upwards of 20 new permanent works have been added.
– It usually takes five, ten years before a well-executed work of art needs maintenance. It is mainly due to the choice of material, where, for example, a sculpture in bronze or stone will do very well for a long time without measures, says Frej Berglind Drake.