Cultural Capital worked in collaboration with the consultant team, stakeholders, organisations, and communities of Macarthur to bring a rigorous art and placemaking response to Figtree Hill, a planned community to be delivered by Lendlease.

Linking Indigenous, colonial, and industrial heritage, and contemporary histories, Cultural Capitals public art strategy drew on the site’s diverse histories and stories to express a contemporary identity.

Cultural Capital approached the strategy for the new development with the intention to embed arts and culture at Figtree Hill and Gilead from day one. Arts and culture are intrinsically linked to a place’s identity, this strategy can be the beginning of the journey of Figtree Hill’s living identity, starting today.

The strategy was developed in direct response to clear outcomes identified through thoughtful community engagement and was crafted to bring the development’s pillars to life. It corresponded to the development phasing, allowing the arts and culture to bloom as part of the project’s functional infrastructure. It brought material form to the research, the data, and ideas each project partner has laboured on.

The art strategy that was delivered included a context analysis, a curatorial vision, a robust commissioning program that outlined a pathway to deliver on the intended outcomes of the strategy, an outline of a best practice commissioning process, and a governance program included all key stakeholders in decision making points throughout the commissioning process.

Renders courtesy of Lendlease.