Agenda item

Any items of business that the Chairman may decide are urgent.

The Director of Transportation and Public Realm explained that two art works by Banksy had appeared in the Beech Street covered roadway area and consideration would need to be given on how to maintain the works.

The Chairman introduced Jonathan Poyner, the Operations Director of the Barbican and Guildhall School, to explain the way forward on this. The Operations Director explained that there were two art works by Banksy plus a third art work by another well-known graffiti artist.

The Operations Director proposed the following plan:

·         The Barbican Centre team will have a hi-vis security presence near the art works up to and including Friday 22 September and this is currently in place. The official aim is to keep people off the road and the additional aim is to ensure no one damages it. The team who normally remove graffiti have been informed not to remove the art works;

·         following the Basquiat Private View/Press Night, the three art works will be covered in a suitable clear material, e.g. Perspex. This will protect the three art works until after the Basquiat exhibition run, and is a solution used by at least one other Authority;

·         after the Basquiat exhibition finishes the City would need to decide a way forward for the medium to long term.

RESOLVED – That the Committee agree to the plan proposed by the Operations Director.