While Arts ACT has two replacement figures from the On the Staircase artist Keld Moseholm, management is still deciding whether to install them.

Director David Whitney said Arts ACT had already replaced one of the figures after the bronze and copper statue was first vandalised about two years ago. The statue was then vandalised again and the two men at the top of the staircase ripped off.

While acknowledging there now seemed to be less vandalism of the public art in Civic, Mr Whitney said Arts ACT had not yet committed to replacing the popular figures.

''They're far too gorgeous [to move], but when they're vulnerable it makes it terribly hard,'' he said.

He said improvements made to the city centre, including initiatives by CBD Limited, had meant ''there is a greater sense of civic pride'' among Canberrans for the area and the artwork placed there: ''There doesn't seem to be as much vandalism.''

Arts ACT is preparing to direct funds towards the upkeep of the 126 artworks in the ACT's public art program. This would include keeping the bronze artworks dust-free, polishing stainless-steel statues and generally keeping the art looking as good as possible.

Mr Whitney said a contract to complete this work would be put out to tender within a week. He said enough money had been spent fixing major vandalism to the territory's artworks. Artworks to have undergone major improvement or repair work include the Kambah Firestorm Storytree Memorial, the ACT Memorial in Civic and the Resting Place of the Dragonfly sculpture in the Parliamentary Triangle.