HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/13/1996, 1 - STUDY SESSION ON PUBLIC ART. �III�I��� IIIr'NIMEEM
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COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT I NUMBER.
FROM: Arnold Jonas, Community Development Dire? ; By: Jeff Hook, Associate Planner
SUBJECT: Study Session on Public Art.
CAO RECOMMENDATION: Consider background information, speakers' presentations and public
comments and provide direction to staff, as appropriate.
DISCUSSION
During the Council meeting of June 20th, the City Council asked staff to schedule a study session to learn
about public art programs in other cities, in particular, the City of Palm Desert, and to discuss the City's
public art program. Last year, Catherine Sass, Community Arts Manager for Palm Desert, gave a
presentation to ARTernatives and the SLO Arts Council on her city's experiences with public art. The
program was well received, and Ms. Sass was invited back to San Luis Obispo to share additional
information on Palm Desert's programs with the Council and the public at large.
During the course of the study session, the Council will hear about Palm Desert's approach to public art.
Attached is a manual which describes the City of Palm Desert's program. Initiated in Fiscal Year 1986-
87, Palm Desert's "Art in Public Places" program has added over 66 public art pieces, with a public and
private investment of over $1.67 million.
The City Council adopted San Luis Obispo's public art program in May 1990 (resolution attached). The
program was developed by a committee composed of Arts Council members, City advisory body
members, and citizens-at-large. The program is voluntary for developers, and requires that one percent
of the construction budget of most City capital projects to be earmarked for public art. As originally
designed, the County Arts Council plays a key role in the arts process — that of advising the City on the
technical and artistic review of public art. Attached is an excerpt from the City's Public Art in SLO
manual which describes the process and the City's goals. In adopting the program, the Council initiated
several incentives to encourage public art, including: matching City funding, waiver of all review and
permit fees, and flexible setback standards for public art.
The City's 1991-1993 Financial Plan listed "in-lieu" public art contributions from City projects totalling
approximately $55,000, and major capital projects which included another $47,000 in "built in" public
art. Projects to incorporate public art included Fire Station No. 1 Replacement ($30,000); Nipomo Street
Bridge Replacement ($5,000); the Recreation Administration Office ($6,500); and French Park ($4,700).
A "Gateway" public art project in Railroad Square was allocated $39,000 in "in-lieu" public art funds.
However in 1993, due to the City's constrained fiscal situation, public art expenditures were put on hold
and in-lieu fees folded back into the General Fund. As a result, no public art has been developed using
City funds since adoption of the program.
Recently, the City approved two public art pieces: the Gandy Dancers sculpture by Elizabeth MacQueen,
and a Chinatown mural to be painted on the side of the Palm Street Parking Garage. Private fund raising
is proceeding slowly on the Gandy Dancers sculpture; and the Chinatown mural is funded with $10,000
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COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Staff Report
Page 2
in City funds. Installation of the Chinatown mural is expected this Summer.
From time to time, the Council may wish to review and modify the City's public art program. No action
is required at this time; however, based upon tonight's study session, Council may direct staff to change
the program or its implementation as it deems appropriate.
Attachments:
-Art in Public Places, Program Manual, City of Palm Desert
-Excerpts, Public Art in San Luis Obispo
(The entire Public Art in San Luis Obispo manual is available in the Council Reading File)
City of Palm pesert
ART IN PUBLIC PLACES
Program Manual
SUMMARY
Faced with the challenge of protecting its visual landscape from the tremendous influx
of construction, this city enacted a "fee for art" program. The program is self-supporting, fully
funded by fees collected as the result of development in the community..
While the program's main thrust is to beautify and enhance the aesthetics of the city,
countless additional benefits are realized. Fiscal solvency of the municipality depends heavily
on revenues generated from sales and hotel occupancy taxes. The public art program has grown
in stature to such an extent that it is credited with significantly increasing these revenues.
Additionally, the program has announced our city as a cultural leader within our county and
Southern California and in so doing, it has given this community a very real sense of pride. The
city is known for its exceptionally high quality of life, and this program has only reinforced that
image.
The following schedule reflects the program's funding sources since fiscal year
1989/1990:
City/RDA Developer
Date Contribution Contribution
89/90 $316,000 $ -0-
90/91 $ 75,000 $119,000
91/92 $120,000 $ 60,000
92/93 $ 86,000 $ 48,000
93/94 $ 119500 $145,000
94/95 $155,000 $535,000
$1 million remains in a reserve fund which earns interest for maintenance of acquisitions.
In the five-year acquisition period, the trend for placement of art has clearly shifted to
one which sees the developer actively participating in the program by selecting and incorporating
his/her own selection of artwork in the design of the building. A healthy competitive spirit has
sprung forth and its subsequent result has been the production of great diversity in the art shown
throughout the city.
Public art has galvanized our community"ind become a source of pride, inspiration, and
revenue. The program has been utilized to address community needs with such installations as
rock-formation signage and an artistically designed grade school fence. The new Civic Center
Park includes a meandering art walk throughout its 70 acres, offering a wide variety of
sculptures including several provided by local college students which are rotated on an annual
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basis. Growth in the program's stature is demonstrated by its selection as the holocaust
survivors' site for a $375,000 sculpture to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the liberation
of the European concentration camps. This most impressive installation, totally paid for by
private donations, is scheduled for dedication in April, 1995.
The production of self-guided tours has drawn thousands of visitors to the community,
visitors who spend time in local hotels, shops, and restaurants. The business community has.
endorsed the program by sponsoring an annual exhibit where art pieces are selected for display
in street medians throughout the commercial district, a program which draws residents and
tourists alike. At one point thirty-three fine art galleries graced a one-mile shopping strip
bringing national attention to the City as an art mecca.
To date, the City enjoys 66 artworks as part of its program as well as numerous private
placements in publicly visible spaces. Its educational outreach programs have seen the creation
of a mural by the students at the local high school, the opening of a public gallery for local
artists at the Civic Center, and coalitions between the City, local art galleries, museums, the
Chamber of Commerce, and community art groups. It has opened the doors of communication
between government, community, and business and has been a unifying force in these
communications. No one single project has provided more benefit to the City than its Art-In-
Public-Places Program.
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VI . PALM DESERT ACQUISITION PLAN
FY 1989/90
Sculpture Walk Site No. 1 Michael Anderson $75, 000 . 00
Sheriff Station William Disbro 40, 000.00
Haystack Park Norman Hines 89, 000 . 00
Washington School Raymond Hunter 1521000 .00
FY 1990/91
Brother' s Building Robert Perless 30, 000 .00
Sculpture Walk Site No. 7 David Phelps 45, 000 . 00
FY 1991/92
Peace Memorial Ross Andrews and 58, 000. 00
Marton Varo
Sculpture Walk Site No. 2
C.O.D. Rotating Exhibit Ed Pogue 5, 000 . 00
Thomas John Walsh
Tim Shockley
Sculpture Walk Site C/
Fred Waring Entry Curt Mattson 56, 838. 00
FY 1992/93
Senior Center Dee Clements 28, 000. 00
5 Coyote Benches Ben Watling 91-000.00
Piano Picnic Table David Mueller 2, 000.00
Sculpture Walk Seward Johnson 70, 000 .00
Sister City Painting Wendy Porter 500 .00
E1 Paseo Exhibit 7 Artist on Loan 5, 000 .00
Recreation Building Jos Gomolka 12,450 . 00
FY 1993/94
Sister City Painting Jolene Douglas 500 .00•
Ampitheater Sharles 6,400 . 00
Library Ann Laros 8, 000 .00
Self Preservation Revised Ed Pogue 3 , 000 . 00
Mountain Lions Living Desert 50, 000. 00
One on One Ann Larose 6, 000.00
FY 1994/95
Interactive Fountain Art Gary Alsum 12, 000
Rosalind Cook 8, 500
Multi-agency Library Barbara Field 85, 000*
Reise Neimi
Deloss McGraw
City Corporation Yard Steve Reiman 71500
Michael Watling 61000
Visitors Center 101000**
Sculpture Walk 10, 000**
Newly Annexed Community 221000**
*amount for three artist installations
**projected �_�
DEVELOPER PLACEMENTS
FY 1989/90
FY 1990/91
Delta Development Brian Painter 34, 316 .63
Waring 'Plaza - DSL Tom Knapp 40, 000 . 00
Michael Watling 14, 000 . 00
Michael Watling 30, 000 .00
FY 1991/92
Southwest Plaza Steven Zaluski & 20, 000 . 00
Elizabeth Mapelli
Indian Ridge - Sunrise . Otto Rigan 50, 000.00
FY 1992/93
Cultural Ctr. Office Bruce Thomas 15, 000.00
Marriott Ownership Dee Clements 28, 000 .00
Resort-Senior Ctr.
E1 Paseo Business Ass. Median Exhibit 5, 000 . 00
FY 1993/94 1
Town Center Plaza / Bill Ware 28, 000 .00
Enjoy Development
EL Paseo Business Ass . Median Exhibit 41000 .00
Restaurants Unlimited Ted Gall 34, 500 . 00
Westinghouse - Living Desert Ken Bijorge 50, 000 .00
Desert Springs Market Place 50, 000 . 00
FY 1994/95
Holocaust Memorial Dee Clements 375, 000 . 00
Desert Crossing John Pugh 100, 000 . 00
Barbara Field
Larson Group ,
Frank Miller Building Perter Ladochy 1,400 .00
E1 Paseo Business Assoc. Median Exhibit 61000 .00
Our community is a new and contemporary city with a unique natural.character. By.the
mid 1980's, it had become the 10th fastest growing municipality in the State of California, and
with this growth came a transformation from.a natural environment to a built environment.
Faced with the challenge of protecting its visual landscape from the tremendous impact of.
construction, the City Council adopted a "percent-for-art" program in October of 1986 which
allowed development an opportunity to enhance the community in which it was participating.
No tax dollars are spent; artwork and the inclusion of artists as design problem solvers is
provided through a small fee paid only by new development.
The City implemented the Art-In-Pubic-Places Program for very sound, practical reasons.
Aside from good management, the fiscal solvency of the City depends heavily on revenues
generated from sales and hotel occupancy taxes. Thus, this type of cultural/tourism strategy aids
in securing tourist dollars. Additionally, it serves as an economic development strategy by
encouraging corporate location by conveying the quality of life our city offers.
Our program was adopted as a percent-for-art developer fee. City and redevelopment
construction pray the highest fee at 1% of the assessed valuation, with commercial development
paying 1/2 of I% and residential development Raying 1/4 of 1%. In an effort to protect the
individual home builder, a $100,000 exemption was placed on that construction's valuation.
An amount of $200,000 was set aside as start-up funds and through construction fees,
the fund grew to $1.5 million allowing for rapid and significant growth in the placement of art
throughout the community.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. DEFINITIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
II. PURPOSE AND RATIONALE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
III. FUNDING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
IV. OWNERSHIP/MAINTENANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
V. THE PALM DESERT "ART IN PUBLIC PLACES" PROGRAM . . . . . . 24
A. Public Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
B. Private Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
C. Enforcement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
D. Art in Public Places Selection Subcommittee 3-4
VI. CRITERIA FOR SELECTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-8
A. Artist Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
1. Slide Registry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
B. Site Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
1. Location, Installation, and Identification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
2. Public Placement 6
3. Private Placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
a. On-site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
b. Off-site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
C. Artwork Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1. Artwork Defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2. Material of Artwork . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3. Committee Criteria for the Selection of Artwork . . . . . . . . 7-8
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VII. Artwork Acquisition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1. Open Competition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2. Limited Competition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
3. Invitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
4. Direct Purchase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
VIII. Approval Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . 8
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I. DEFINITIONS
Art/Artwork- Shall be defined in terms of the "visual arts" as distinguished from the
performing arts, media arts, literary, or cultural arts.
Civic Arts Committee - Palm Desert Civic Arts Committee.
Art in Public Places - Palm Desert Art in Public Places Selection Sub Committee.
II. PURPOSE AND RATIONALE
The Art in Public Places Program endeavors to promote culture and establish a
Cultural atmosphere in the community and to inspire pride, identity, and a sense of
place among the citizens of Palm Desert. The Program was designed to interweave
public art with the City's privatetpublic growth and development. Public art
increases vitality and naturally attracts tourism, business, and consumers. It can also
serve as a business trademark, conveying both growth and prosperity to the private
and public sectors alike.
The City is implementing a Public Art Program pursuant to Chapter 4.10 of the Palm
Desert Municipal Code. Developers who choose to provide artwork in their project
are asked to incorporate the artwork in the design process of their project.
III. FUNDING
The City of Palm Desert initiated the Art in Public Places Program and budgeted
$200,000.00 in its fiscal year 1986-87 budget as an endowment fund, the interest
only of which will be used for said Program unless otherwise specifically authorized
by the City Council.
In addition, the City established an Art in Public Places Fee to be collected as
follows:
• For the purpose of this section, total construction cost shall be based
on the building permit valuation as established by the Director of
Building and Safety.
• All individual residential units whose building permit valuation is in
excess of $100,000.00 shall be charged one fourth of one percent for
that portion of valuation in excess of $100,000.00. Individual
residential units with a building permit valuation of less than
$100,000.00 are exempt from any "Art in Public Places" development
fee.
An "individual residential unit" is hereby defined as not more than on
single-family dwelling which is to be constructed on a lot located in an
existing subdivision. This definition of "individual dwelling unit"
specifically excludes all new residential development of two or more
dwelling units in number.
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All other residential development not specifically exempted in the
above section shall be charged one fourth of one percent of the
building permit valuations.
• All commercial development within the City, including subdivisions of
more than one unit, shall be charged the rate of one half of one
percent of the building permit valuation.
• The City of Palm Desert and its Redevelopment Agency shall be
charged one percent of the total project cost for all public facilities,
excluding all street and drainage projects.
IV. OWNERSHIP/MAINTENANCE
All artwork, whether located on-site or off-site, shall remain the property of the
applicant for the life of the Certificate of Occupancy, provided, however, that such
applicant shall transfer ownership of the artwork, in whole or part to any successor
in interest of the structure. The owner of said artwork shall provide all maintenance
necessary to preserve such artwork in good condition if such artwork is located on-
site. In addition, the owner shall maintain in full force and effect fire and extended
insurance coverage, including but not limited to vandalism coverage, in a minimum
amount of the purchase price of said artwork. In the cast the artwork is destroyed,
it shall be replaced at the property owner's or the developer's expense. Once the
artwork has been accepted by the City and installed, it cannot be removed or altered
without specific written approval by the Civic Arts Committee.
The developer and/or artist may be required to transfer to the City of Palm desert all
or some of its rights in and thereto the artwork.
V. THE PALM DESERT "ART IN PUBLIC PLACES" PROGRAM
The following is the procedure and policy under which the Program will be
implemented.
A. PUBLIC DEVELOPMENT
The artwork shall be acquired for public sites throughout the City that are:
1. An existing focal point or highly visible.
2. A site that needs enlivening/a public gathering space.
3. Historically significant.
4. An existing design problem
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B. PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT
The developer will be required to pay a fee upon securing a building permit.
Said fee shall not be released until artwork is accepted by the City of Palm
Desert.
Several options are available to meet the City's art requirement:
1. Placement of an approved artwork on-site .
2. Placement of an approved artwork off-site
3. Donation of artwork
4. Fees in lieu of art placement
C. ENFORCEMENT
Requirement- No permanent or temporary Certificate of Occupancy shall be
issued for any structure in the City unless the "Art in Public Places" project is
approved or requirements for an "in lieu" fee have been met.
Certificate of Occupancy-Artwork provided on a structure in accordance with
the provisions of this article shall not be removed without written approval of
the Civic Arts Committee; any removal shall cause the Certificate of
Occupancy for said structure to be revoked.
The Art in Public Places Selection Subcommittee and the Civic Arts
Committee will review proposals for artwork and make recommendations to
the City Council. All meetings are open to the public and are ruled by posted
agendas.
D. ART IN PUBLIC PLACES SELECTION SUBCOMMITTEE
The nine member Subcommittee (A.I.P.P.) serves in an advisory capacity
providing recommendations for art placement to the Civic Arts Committee and
aesthetic opinion, as requested to the Community Arts Manager.
Membership is made up of two members of the Civic Arts Committee and six
arts professionals from the Community. Arts professionals for these purposes,
are defined as: curators; visual artists; art critics; art historians; art collectors;
architects; landscape architects; art educators; and other persons with visual
arts backgrounds, respected in their field and willing to engage effectively in
a panel process.
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The Mayor shall appoint a Council liaison to the Subcommittee and the City
Manager shall appoint a staff liaison(s) to serve as ex-officio members.
It is the City's goal to allow as many qualified and willing individuals as
possible an opportunity to serve their community.
The Architectural Review Commission shall appoint a member to sery the
A.I.P.P. This member is responsible for providing follow-up .to both
committees on the status of current projects.
Membership appointments will be limited to (1) promote equal opportunity
to the membership to serve in a leadership role; (2) to bring a diverse
aesthetic, (3) to bring diverse ethnic and cultural perspectives to the program;
(4) to most precisely match the project's program to the expertise of the
panelist.
The A.I.P.P. is charged with the responsibility to
1. Review artist applications for participation in the program,
making recommendations to staff regarding artist placement in
the slide registry.
2. Serve as a jury for artwork competitions, making
recommendations of finalists to the Civic Arts Committee.
3. Review artist proposals for placement in the City's Public Art
Collection, making recommendations to the Civic Arts
Committee for fabrication and acquisition.
4. Provide technical advisement to staff throughout the commission
process.
VI. CRITERIA FOR SELECTION
A. ARTIST SELECTION
Artists chosen by the Committee shall be active artists who are recognized in
their field,either locally, regionally,nationally,or internationally. He/she may
be required to provide the Committee with references relative to their work.
Commissioned artwork shall be subject to the artist entering a contract with
the City of Palm Desert.
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The program pursues visual artists interested in working with the Palm Desert
Art in Public Places Program. Artists can be contacted through the following
methods:
Mailing List: To receive notification of new public art projects, artists
may send their name, mailing, address, and an indication of the
medium in which they work to the City of Palm Desert's Community
Art Department. Notices of new projects and application requirements
may be mailed as appropriate
Press Announcements: Open competitions for public art projects may
be advertised in local arts media, and may be announced to local,
regional, and national arts organizations, college and university art
departments, galleries, and museums.
Advertisements in Art Magazines
Art Agents
Referrals from the local professional community
1. SLIDE REGISTRY
In order to provide a resource for the Public Art Committee, the
Community Development Department, developers and for the
community, a Slide Registry is maintained. Artists submit up to five
well-photographed 35mm plastic or cardboard bound slides of recent
work. The artist's name, address, telephone number, and the title of
the work should be written on the frame-binding of each slide. The
Artist biography and price information are provided to assist in
matching artist to project.
B. SITE SELECTION
1. Location, Installation, and Identification:
The artwork shall be located in an area specifically designated for such
purpose. Installation of the artwork shall be planned and implemented
to enhance the work and allow for unobstructed public viewing from
as many angles as possible. Potential obstruction of growing trees,
shrubbery, or future construction shall be taken into account. The
artwork shall be a permanent, fixed asset to the property.
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Each artwork shall be identified by a plaque stating the artist's name,
artwork title and the date the artwork was dedicated. The plaque will
be placed in an appropriate location near the artwork that can be
easily accessed by pedestrians.
2. Public Placement
The sites are selected based on their aesthetic possibilities. Some
provide a gateway, some mark an important vista, while others
highlight areas that identify a need for lively public open space.
Particular attention will be given to providing exceptional artwork at
the major intersections, major corridors and entrances to the City of
Palm Desert. In addition, it would be appropriate to have major
artwork at public facilities such as the Civic Center, Senior Center,
schools, parks and recreation buildings.
3. Private Placement
a. On-site: The artwork shall be displayed in one or more of the
following locations on the site of the commercial structure:
1. Architecturally integrated on the building or
hardscape
2. Outside of the structure, in any area open and
available to the general public, including but not
limited to front or side setbacks or courtyard
areas.
3. Inside of the structure, in a ground floor or street
level lobby, provided such lobby is open and
freely available to general public.
b. Off-site: At the request of the applicant for a Certificate of
Occupancy, the artwork may be located on a site other than
that of the development, provided, however, that the site is
selected by the Civic Arts committee and approved by the City
Council.
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C. ARTWORK SELECTION
The art selected for the sites shall provide a wide range of sculptural styles,
materials, and types. The pieces must be easily visible to the public and may
be chosen to enliven open spaces and provide lasting cultural amenities for
the community. Each piece of art is an integrated and complimentary part of
the setting.
1. Artwork Defined
For the purposes of the Art in Public Places Program, artwork shall be
defined in terms of the visual arts as distinguished form the performing
arts, media arts, literary or cultural arts. The artwork should be
permanent in nature and installed in public view. The selection of
each work or art will be site specific and be selected based on the
character and aesthetics of the landscape and architecture of that site.
2. Material of Artwork
The material to be used for fabrication of the work shall be of a type
appropriate to the theme or concept of the proposed artwork and
should respect the surrounding natural and building environments.
The material shall be permanent in nature and require low
maintenance. Accessories to the artwork (i.e. lighting), shall not
distract from the artwork or create glare for passing drivers or
pedestrians. All accessories shall be durable and require low
maintenance.
3. Committee Criteria for the Selection of Artwork
The Art in Public Places Committee selects works of art for the City
based on artistic merit and the appropriateness of the artwork to the
site where it is to be located. The selection of artwork is based on the
following criteria:
1. Artistic excellence and innovation;
2. Appropriateness of the artwork to the project/site in terms
of scale, form, content, and materials;
3. Durability of the artwork relative to theft, vandalism, and
the environment;
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4. Ability of the artist to work closely and compatibly with
the project architects(s), engineers, commissions,
committees, City staff, and community members;
5. Selection of the artwork is subject to the artist(s)
providing materials and completion bond, as well as
completing a contract as set forth by the City Attorney.
Artwork for the project/site will be reviewed and approved by the Civic
Arts Committee. All final approvals of artwork rest with the
Committee.
VII. ARTWORK ACQUISITION
Artwork may be acquired in the following manner:
1. Open Competition: The project is advertised and all interested artists
may submit preliminary ideas for proposals. No fees are paid to the
artists for their initial proposal submissions; however, a small number
of finalists may be selected to submit detailed models for the project
for which they will be paid a fee.
2. Limited Competition: A selected number of artists are invited to
submit proposals. A fee is usually allocated for the artists'
participation.
3. Invitation: One artist is invited to submit a proposal for which he/she
is usually paid a proposal fee.
4. Direct Purchase: A completed work is purchased for a specific
project.
VIII. APPROVAL PROCESS
1. Submittal of proposal
2. Review by A.I.P.P. with recommendation to the Civic Arts Committee
3. Review by Civic Arts with recommendation to the City Council
4. Proposal review by City Council with recommendation for staff to
proceed
5. City Council determination of final acceptance ( with direction to staff
for recordation and refund of fee when private development)
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PUBLIC ART" in SLO
Policies and Procedures
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"Bear and Child" by Paula Zima
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City of San.-Luis-Obispo
PUBLIC ART IN SAN LUIS OBISPO: Policies and Procedures
FORWARD
For a quick summary of the public art process, turn to page 1. For a more detailed
explanation of the San Luis Obispo's Visual Arts in Public Places program, turn to the
Table of Contents. Project managers, department heads, planners, and others involved
with capital projects should find this reference manual useful. It gives the details you
will need to include public art in city projects, identifies community resources, and
provides answers to some common questions dealing with public art.
Throughout the text, look for paragraphs in boldface type. They denote key public art
policies which the city follows in implementing its public art program. One last note:
the manual's topics were selected with project managers' needs in mind. If we have
overlooked some key questions, if issues or circumstances change, or if you just need
more information, please let us know.
Arnold Jonas, Community Development Director
A Message From the CAO...
Along with the more traditional public improvements like utilities, streets, and parks,
public art helps preserve the quality of community life. But perhaps more than any
other single public work, art and architecture have the potential to enhance the city's
"sense of place" — that elusive quality that, for most residents and visitors, makes San
Luis Obispo a delightful and memorable place.
The City Council adopted the public art program with this potential in mind. Public art
offers an exciting and challenging opportunity for staff to improve the visual quality of
City projects — and in turn, improve the overall quality of the built environment. Thank
you for your particular contribution toward making the program a success.
John Dunn, City Administrative Officer
ABOUT THIS MANUAL...
As part of the Visual Arts in Public Places program adopted by the City Council in May
1990, staff-was directed to-prepare administrative procedures to implement the new
program. This manual meets that need. The draft manual was reviewed by many staff,
including the CAO, the City Attorney, and staff in Finance, Community Development,
Public Works, Utilities, Recreation, Fire, and Police departments. It has also been
reviewed by members of the San Luis Obispo Arts Council. Reviewers corrections and
suggestions have been incorporated into this final version.
Because this is a new program for San Luis Obispo, city staff is generally unfamiliar
with many of the issues and techniques in dealing with public art. Therefore, the
manual includes basic information on public art planning and design, in addition to
covering administrative procedures. The manual is to be used as a reference for city
staff with specific questions on public art, but it's not carved in stone. As we develop
public art and refine the program, these administrative procedures should also be
updated periodically.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
SAN LUIS OBISPO CITY COUNCIL
Ron Dunin, Mayor
Peg Pinard, Councilmember
Penny Rappa, Councilmember
Jerry Reiss, Councilmember
Bill Roalma.n, Councilmember
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
John Dunn, City Administrative Officer
Jeff Jorgensen, City Attorney
Arnold Jonas, Community Development Director
Bill Statler, Finance Director
Dave Romero, Public Works Director
PRODUCTION STAFF
Jeff Hook, Associate Planner
Rick Hocker, Graphics Technician
SPECIAL THANKS to San Luis Obispo Arts Council, Donna Duerk, and many city staff
members for their assistance by contributing ideas for the manual's form and content,
and by reviewing the draft manual for completeness and accuracy.
Jeff Hook
/-,22
ABOUT THIS MANUAL...
As part of the Visual Arts in Public Places program adopted by the City Council in May
1990, staff-was directed-to-prepare administrative procedures to implement the new
program. This manual meets that need. The draft manual was reviewed by many staff;
including the CAO, the City Attorney, and staff in Finance, Community Development,
Public Works, Utilities, Recreation, Fire, and Police departments. It has also been
reviewed by members of the San Luis Obispo Arts Council. Reviewers corrections and
suggestions have been incorporated into this final version.
Because this is a new program for San Luis Obispo, city staff is generally unfamiliar
with many of the issues and techniques in dealing with public art. Therefore, the
manual includes basic information on public art planning and design, in addition to
covering administrative procedures. The manual is to be used as a reference for city
staff with specific questions on public art, but it's not carved in stone. As we develop .
public art and refine the program, these administrative procedures should also be
updated periodically.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
SAN LUIS OBISPO CITY COUNCIL
Ron Dunin, Mayor
Peg Pinard, Councilmember
Penny Rappa, Councilmember
Jerry Reiss, Councilmember
Bill Roalman, Councilmember
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
John Dunn, City Administrative Officer
Jeff Jorgensen, City Attorney
Arnold Jonas, Community Development Director
Bill Statler, Finance Director
Dave Romero, Public Works Director
PRODUCTION STAFF
Jeff Hook, Associate Planner
Rick Hocker, Graphics Technician
SPECIAL THANKS to San Luis Obispo Arts Council, Donna Duerk, and many city staff
members for their assistance by contributing ideas for the manual's form and content,
and by reviewing the draft manual for completeness and accuracy.
Jeff Hook
Visual Art in Public Places
Page 1
I. SUMMARY
Summary of the Process
■ Include an art component in budget requests for eligible projects
■ Determine whether "in-lieu" funding will be used
■ Incorporate art into preliminary project studies and design
■ Contact other city staff, art or neighborhood groups for ideas
■ Solicit artist's proposals
■ Work with SLO Arts Council to appoint art jury
■ Select artist/artwork
■ Prepare public art contract
■ Secure planning/construction permits
■ Install artwork
■ Inspect artwork and compile maintenance information
Public Art Funding - Percent for Art Requirement
In May 1990, the City Council established a public art program. The Council
determined that one percent (1%) of the estimated cost of eligible projects in the
Capital Improvement Plan should be set aside for public art. In addition, the Council
approved a "matching grant" program, administered by the City's Promotional
Coordinating Committee. The matching grant program allows the City to support
privately-funded art projects on a dollar-for-dollar basis, up to 50% of the art project's
cost.
For the 1989-92 Financial Plan, staff identified several capital projects eligible for the
installation of public art. Their construction cost totalled $5,837,600, and 1%, or $58,000
has been allocated to fund public art for these projects. In addition, $20,000 has been
set aside in the Promotional Coordinating Committee's budget to fund the matching
grant program.
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Visual Art in Public Places
Page 2
Policies
The following administrative policies and procedures have been developed to effectively
manage the "Public Art Control Account";
A. Eligible Projects. All Capital Improvement Plan projects will be considered
eligible for public art, and expected to include public art in an amount equal to
at least one percent of the project's construction cost, unless the project is
exempt. Exemptions are:
1) Utility projects, such as sewer or water system improvements.
2) Underground projects, such as new storm drains, storage tanks and similar
items.
3) Projects exempted by the City Council or the City Administrative Officer
upon finding that: a) public art installation would be detrimental to
public health or safety; or b) the project is not suitable for the inclusion
of public art; or is not visible by, used by, or accessible to the public; or
c) the project is itself a public art project.
B. "Public Art Control Account." A Public Art Control Account will be maintained
by the Department of Finance to fund public art projects approved by the
Council or the CAO. Funds for eligible projects will be transferred by Finance
staff to either a capital project account or to a public art project account when
a public art contract is awarded.
1) Transfer of Funds. Public art costs will normally be funded as part of the
total cost of a capital project when they are part of the capital project as
approved by Council. Public art projects which were not originally funded
as part of an approved capital project will be funded separately under a
separate project account. For example, the Nipomo Street Bridge project
did not originally include public art, but is an eligible project. Funds need
to be transferred from the Public Art control account to the project's
capital account to cover the cost of public art. In these cases, rp o�ct'
managers are responsible for initiating the transfer of funds to cover
Rublic art costs. See Appendix "G" for the "Budget Amendment Request"
form used to request a transfer of funds.
Procedures -- an overview
In the 1991-93 Financial Plan, all public art monies derived from the percent-for-art
program were placed in the Public Art Control Account .for allocation by the CIP
Committee. The CIP Committee consists of the Assistant CAO, Directors of Community
Development, Public Works, and Finance Departments, and an Administrative Analyst.
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NAME: Crossmith—Past into Present.Salisbury,
North Carolirra
PROJECT: A mural depicdng existingSWisbury landmarks and portraits of over .1
citizens.located in the historic downtown
ARTIST; Cynvia Arthur
AGENCY: Rowan Art Guild
SIZE: 6120 square feet
DATE: Begun 1977.Completed 1983
COST: Approximately$34,000;additional
$40,000
PHOTOGRAPHY:MATERIAL: Latex eramel paint."Plastic Shield"
sealer
Visual Art in Public Places
Page 3
The CIP committee will annually review the list of capital projects, determine which
projects are eligible for public art, and recommend appropriate projects and budgets based
on the program guidelines and the project significance. This approach will allow greater
flexibility, and focus efforts on getting public art in larger-scale, highly-visible projects.
Speciflc Procedures
Finance Department staff will follow these procedures to fund the Public Art Control
Account and to allocate funds for specific projects:
A. Identify Capital Projects eligible for Public Art. Departments shall submit Capital
Improvement Plan Requests (CIPR) for the construction phase of the project during
the regular budget cycle or at anytime outside the regular budget cycle. If the
project is eligible, the project manager should include a public art component equal
to 1%of the project's construction cost, or provide justification as to why the 1%for
art should not be included with the capital project, but applied toward citywide art
projects on an "in-lieu" basis.
B. "In-lieu" Percent for Art. Some capital projects may be "eligible" for public art, but
due to their small size or site or design limitations, it is not desirable to include art
with the project. For example, a new $5,000 park storage shed would generate $50
for public art. Since the dollar amount for art is small, it may be more effective
used as "in-lieu" fees and available for other city projects more suitable for public
art.
C. CIP Committee Allocation Recommendations. With input provided from the
corresponding departments, the CIP Committee will be responsible for developing
recommendations concerning the feasibility of including a public art component for
eligible projects. The CIP Committee will also develop recommendations for the
allocation of in-lieu funds. Their recommendations will be forwarded to the CAO
and ultimately to the City Council for approval. This will typically occur as a part
of the regular Financial Plan cycle of review and approval.
D. Public Art Control Account. Public Art funds identified in CIPR's and approved
by Council will be set aside in a "Public Art Control Account" similar to the.Capital
Control Account used for funding.capital projects. As public art projects are
approved and at the time award of contract is made, funds will be transferred from
the "Public Art Control Account" to the specific project. The fund transfer will be
made based on a Budget Amendment Request submitted by the lead department.
E. Staff Reports to City Council. Staff reports submitted to the City Council or to the
CAO to request approval to solicit bids or proposals willinclude a discussion and
recommendation as to whether public art will be included in the project scope, a
suggested art theme or design objectives, hdw proposals will be solicited, and the
Visual Art in Public Places'
Page 4
estimated cost of the public art project. This discussion and recommendation will
be included under a separate heading of the Staff Report titled: "Public Art", and
will follow the "Fiscal Impact" heading. See Appendix 'B" for examples of staff
reports.
Visual Art in Public Places
Page 4
estimated cost of the public art project. This discussion and recommendation will
be included under a separate heading of the.Staff Report titled: "Public Art", and
will follow the "Fiscal Impact" heading. See Appendix "B" for examples of staff
reports.
1-36
1-3/
Visual Art in Public Places
Page 5
II. PLANNING FOR PUBLIC ART
What is Public Art?
It's easier to describe what isn't public art. "Off-the-shelf' benches, fountains, and trash
receptacles; upgraded tile, paving, or other conventional architectural finishes and
ornamentation; standard landscaping; architectural lighting; and other similar treatments
which do not involve original, creative work by an individual or group are not normally
considered public art.
For example, purchasing a pre-fabricated fountain and installing it in a park would be
landscaping but not public art, since the piece is a stock item and its design does not
necessarily involve an original or creative effort. However, if the fountain included an
original ceramic or bronze sculpture, tile mosaic, or other original or creative feature it
could be considered public art. The artwork doesn't necessarily have to be one-of-a-
kind, or designed only for that location -- it could be one of a limited series of castings
(in the case of sculpture) which has been thoughtfully integrated with your project.
The boundary between architectural ornamentation and art isn't always clear. For
example, in decorating a blank wall of a parking garage with a series of metal screeds
and painted wall panels, the architect's effort might be considered public "art" if it was
an original work, went beyond typical or stock architectural treatment, and met the city's
public art guidelines. Ultimately, the city council will decide whether the work is "art"
and merits public funding. They will probably use community objectives and guidelines
like those listed on page 16.
Private-Sector Art Projects
Developers, land owners, civic groups, artists, businesses, and individuals sometimes
propose public art projects on private or city-owned property. These projects are
typically proposed, planned, funded, built and maintained by private concerns with the
city acting in an advisory and approval role. Under the adopted public art program, the
city may also provide direct financial or in-kind assistance to private art projects (eg.
help install the art) on a dollar-for-dollar matching basis. To qualify for matching
grants, private art projects must meet the criteria listed in Appendix "E", and must get
City Council approval.
Assigned planners in the Community Development Department will "shepherd" privately
sponsored art projects through the various public review steps. All such projects require
design review, plancheck and construction permits to make sure they comply with the
public art guidelines, zoning and building codes. In addition, some projects will require
review by other city advisory bodies, like those proposed in a city park (Parks and
Recreation Commission) or projects involving city matching funds (Promotional
Coordinating Committee and City Council).
32
Public Art Manual
Figure 3
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NAME: Riverwalk. Memphis.Tennessee
PROJECT: An authentic scaled model of the
lower Mississippi River Valley depicting the
configuration of the river from Cairo. Illinois,
to the Gulf of Mexico and surrounding cities;
located at Mud Island Recreation Park, Mem-
phis. Tennessee
ARTIST: Roy Harrover and Associates. Inc.
AGENCY: City of Memphis, Mud Island Division
SIZE: Model is 2000 feet or five city blocks long
DATE: Design began 1973, construction com-
menced.1974: park opened July 1982
COST: $8 million (for Riverwalk)
MATERIAL: Pre-cast concrete panels support
model made of blue and green slate, bronze
and stainless steel.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of Mississippi River
Museum/Mud Island. Memphis.Tennessee
I
1-33
Visual Art in Public Places
Page 16
IV. EVALUATING PUBLIC ART
In cities throughout the U.S. there has been growing support for public art. But the
picture hasn't been entirely rosy. Some projects, like Richard Serra's monumental wall
entitled 'Tilted Arc" (1) (numbers in parentheses refer to pictures in text), have caused
major controversy. Some public art has been criticized as being "plop art" — elements
simply "plopped" down without sensitivity to the site or to the people who use the space.
Community objectives
What's "good" public art? There is no accepted standard, since there's an infinite variety
of forms, materials, styles, locations and messages possible. But other cities' experiences
have shown that the most memorable and widely appreciated public art shares one or
more of these characteristics:
A. It's meaningful. A "memory wall" commemorating past or present citizens (2); or
a scale model fountain and walkway which recreates the history of the Mississippi
River (3); and a sculptural gateway acknowledging the historic entrance to the Old
Mission Gardens ; — are examples (two existing examples and one possible
example) of public art which are connected to their site. The artworks are linked
to some historic, geographic, social, or aspect of the site. They inform, remind,
acknowledge, question, inspire, and reward the viewer who takes time to
understand them.
B. It's directional. A bronze manhole cover cast with the plan of the City (4); a
hopscotch game of inset brass, brick, and tile to commemorate the site of Boston's
first public school (5); and a restored portion of a greek column crafted into a
speaker's rostrum (6) — all examples of public art which orient the viewer to the
space. They direct the viewer and commemorate past and present city spaces.
C. It's interesting. Bronze horses galloping through a river-fountain (7); bronze
dance steps inset into sidewalk paving (8); and three life-like bronze figures
conversing at a bus stop (9) -- public art which animates and enlivens a public
space with movement. Sometimes they actually move — like a kinetic sculpture
that moves with the breeze; other pieces just suggest movement by their design.
They add interest, delight, variety and fun to a public space. As in the case with
the dance steps, pedestrians become "a part" of the art as they try out their
dancing skills.
D. It's functional. Good public art "fits" its site. Artworks should make spaces more
usable and interesting for the public — perhaps by creating new or better
opportunities to enjoy a walkway, plaza, park, public building, or other public
space. Seating walls and human-scale -- they invite people to experience the
artwork first hand, like San Luis Obsipo's Bear and Indian Child in Mission Plaza.
1-311
Public Art Manual
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Visual Art in Public Places
Page 17
They should not upset established use patterns, or make a public space
unpleasant, intimidating or hazardous. Some of the best examples of public art
reveal new ways of designing and using spaces which were abandoned or
considered unusable, for example Seattle's experiment with creating a mini-park
and sculpture out of a small electrical substation (10).
City's Public Art Guidelines
Although the guidelines were developed with private art projects in mind, they also apply
to city-sponsored public art. The guidelines will help artists, citizens, commission and
council members and staff understand the city's expectations for public art. The
guidelines are administered by the Community Development Director and are used, by
the city's Architectural Review Commission in reviewing public art projects, with
assistance from the San Luis Obispo County Arts Council.
A. Public art shall be located within public right-of-way, or shall otherwise be easily
visible or accessible from a public right-of-way.
B. The design and placement of public art shall not impede pedestrian or vehicle
traffic, or conflict with public or private easements.
C. Public art shall be compatible with the immediate site and neighborhood in terms
of architectural scale, materials, land use and the site's historical and
environmental context.
D. Public art shall be integrated with the site, and include landscaping, lighting,
interpretive information, and other amenities where appropriate.
E. Permanent public art shall be constructed of durable, high-quality materials and
require minimal or no maintenance. Temporary public art shall be constructed
of materials appropriate to its duration of public display.
F. A wide variety of artistic expression is encouraged. Expressions of profanity,
vulgarity, or obvious poor taste are inappropriate.
G. Artwork shall reflect a high level or artistic excellence and shall be installed by
persons with the necessary technical experience and knowledge.
H. Public art shall not directly or indirectly cause adverse environmental effects, or
otherwise jeopardize public health, safety or welfare.
/-3G