Specialist consultants may be appointed for the first time to boost Bradford's chances of attracting National Lottery money for works of art in Centenary Square and other parts of the city.

The Council's bid for Lottery funds to promote public art failed because new Arts Council rules stipulate applications must be accompanied by a clear Public Art Strategy.

And at tomorrow's meeting of the Council's transportation, planning and design committee, members will be asked to approve development of a strategy to encourage more art in the city.

Officers will recommend it should be done by experts with specialist national and regional experience at a cost of around £7,000.

Committee chairman Councillor Latif Darr said: "Putting art in public spaces brings the stimulation of artists' ideas to many more people and is an important contribution to the regeneration of our towns and cities.

"As well as commissioning art works and raising the profile of local artists, we also want to introduce a public art and education programme involving schools and local communities.

"Bradford has had some success in attracting funding for works of art in public spaces and in new developments through its Percent for Art policy.

"But it now clear that to make further progress in achieving our various aims we need to draw up a proper strategy to improve our chances of winning funds from the Lottery and other sources."

The strategy would include: a framework for commissioning public art; a review of existing policy and a vision and objectives for public art in the district; integration with the wider Cultural Strategy; and documentation, cataloguing and archiving of art works.

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