Some say public art is part and parcel of cities worldwide, others simply say it's a complete waste of time and money.
Whether you like or dislike the capital's diverse collection of public art works - from Alexander Bunyip in Gungahlin, the Angel Wings in Tuggeranong to figure silhouettes in Weston Creek, and a glass tower on the Kingston Foreshore - the works are here to stay.
And though their establishment in the capital often goes hand in hand with hype and controversy, many say they can't imagine life without the capital's public art works.
ANU School of Art head of sculpture Wendy Teakel recently said, ''It enhances the quality of the Canberra environment. People need to be uplifted.''
Canberra is a city of sculptures in public places.
You'll find several of them in the city centre and near cultural institutions such as the National Library of Australia and Questacon.
GALLERY: More photos of public art in Canberra
ArtsACT director David Whitney says they aim to provide new experiences in the everyday environment.
''Public art is a fantastic way of a community expressing itself publicly,'' he said.
Artists have said over the years that public art ''remains important for any city''.
They also say public art commissions were ''crucial'' to an artist's career and often represented an artist's major source of income.
Of almost 80 artists represented in the ACT public art collection, almost half are local.
Mr Whitney said some of the most memorable pieces by local artists were Jan Brown's Icarus, David Jensz's Fractal Weave and Warren Langley's sculptural light pieces.
''There's a lot of public art in Canberra because it's a city of ideas and a city of creation and creativity,'' Mr Whitney said.
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