HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-04-2013 Public Art Advisory CommitteePublic Art Advisory Committee
Thursday, April 4, 2012
3:3OPM
Lobby Conference Room
City Hall
410 E. Washington
A. Call to order
B. Public discussion of any item not on the agenda
C. Consideration of the minutes of the February 7, 2013 meeting
D. Discussion of proposed mural for old Mercer Park Pool building
wall created by Tate High School Art students - Dan Kinney,
instructor and Asia Cunningham and Serena Williams, 111h
grade students.
E. Iowa City Public Art Plan update
The subcommittee of PAAC members has met 2 times to further define
the Public Art Plan. An update will be presented to the PAAC and
upcoming timeframe will be discussed.
F. Other?
G. Adjournment
MINUTES
PUBLIC ART ADVISORY COMMITTEE
THURSDAY, February 7, 2013
LOBBY CONFERENCE ROOM — CITY HALL
Members present
Not present:
Staff Present:
Public Present:
CALL TO ORDER
Meeting called to order at 3:36pm.
PRELIMINARY
Melissa Mitchell, John Engelbrecht, Rick Fosse, Tam Bryk
Jan Finlayson, Susie Thurmond, Mike Moran
Marcia Bollinger, Jeff Davidson
None
INTRODUCTION OF NEW MEMBER: Tam Bryk
PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF ANY ITEM NOT ON THE AGENDA
No new business.
CONSIDERATION OF THE MINUTES OF THE MAY 3RD, 2012 MEETING
MOTION: Fosse moved to approve the May 3rd, 2012 meeting minutes as amended.
Engelbrecht seconded. Motion passed 4:0.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Bollinger stated that Finlayson would accept the chairperson again and Thurmond would be
interested as well. Bryk stated she would not be interested in being nominated. John said he
was okay with Finlayson and Thurmond as the chair and co-chair. Bollinger recommended
Thurmond as chair and Finlayson as co-chair. Engelbrecht stated he would be fine with being
the co-chair if Thurmond was chair.
MOTION: Bryk moved to recommend Engelbrecht as co-chair and Thurmond as chair. Mitchell
seconded. Motion passed 4:0.
IOWA CITY PUBLIC ART PROGRAM STATUS REPORT (13:00)
Bollinger updated the members on the Public Art Program. Bollinger stated that the upcoming
fiscal year's budget (FY14) has $10,000 appropriated. Bollinger explained that a proposal was
made to the City Manager's office suggesting that increased hotel -motel tax revenue from some
of the new hotels could potentially be used for public art. The new hotel on Riverside Drive
would be adding a substance increase to tax revenue as will any other future hotels. She added
that one aspect of the proposal suggested that the Public Art Advisory Committee would work
through the process of developing a Public Art Action Plan that will include specifics related to
propagating future partnerships, actively pursuing grant funding opportunities and other funding
options from outside the program. Bollinger then explained the percent for art program utilized
by many communities to fund their public art programs. Bryk suggested the University of Iowa's
plan is a good plan to parallel and that the City should recognize other cities/entities are
providing a percentage. Bryk also stated that she would like the University of Iowa to commit
their funds towards Iowa or United States artist's work. Fosse said it is hard to get artists, local
artists, to participate and that most of Iowa City's art is from out of state. Bryk then explained
that it is hard for artists to participate in certain City projects due to the small amount of
monetary gains compared to the amount of money they could get paid for other jobs.
Bollinger stated that as part of the updated comprehensive plan, art is mentioned in a variety of
different areas within the Art and Culture section. Bollinger stated that looking for additional
funding sources (for public art) was part of the proposed comprehensive plan. An art component
is also included in the River Front Crossings Plan. Bryk suggested she would like to see the
focus should be on the River Front Crossings project.
Davidson recommended the percentage for art to be brought up when preparing the budget
again in October. He suggested the members should structure a recommendation in the
Summer/Fall and in the meantime to address the $10,000 in the budget. Bollinger suggested
pursuing a specific art project or to sponsor artists that have a project in mind. Davidson said
the projects that the committee moves forward with need to have broad support and acceptance
in order to receive funding in the future.
Fosse mentioned the committee should read up on the artists rights act because once a piece
of art goes in there is a certain encumbrance and the committee should not create an obstacle
for future generations. He also commented on the maintenance of art structures that may lead
to encumbrances for the committee. Discussion proceeded towards the law of art structures and
what other cities have been doing.
Bryk suggested she wish to see Neighborhood Art program continues to be funded through the
public art fund. Bollinger then stated that only $10,000 is available so it is difficult to determine if
all the money should go into neighborhood art or in combination with other projects.
UPDATE ON POETRY IN PUBLIC, GRANT WOOD NEIGHBORHOOD ART PROJET,
BENCHMARKS, ETC.
Bollinger provided a summary of the Grant Wood Neighborhood Art project in regards to where
the pillars will be located and when. Jill Harper, Art Teacher at City High is overseeing this
project similar to the Washington Hills neighborhood art project. The Grant Wood project will be
the last neighborhood project that was approved by the City Council. The Melrose
neighborhood had also presented a proposal 5 years ago or so but never completed. The
neighborhood Melrose neighborhood is interested in completing the project in the future.
The BenchMarks project is expected to be continued this spring. An inventory is expected to be
completed to quantify what has been done. Fosse commented on the scale and scope of the
projects, saying that past art was of a greater caliber than the most recent art. He had mixed
feelings about the project in general; he said less attractive benches are intermixed within all.
He recommended to not paint more benches completed until a great proposal came along. Bryk
stated there was a no request for proposals for the project and that the budget was low.
Benches are planned to be re -done after a year. Bryk stated there was a clause stating the city
can paint over the benches after a year. Fosse wanted to know if having an artist on the
committee would help to determine what looks good on paper will also transfer nicely onto the
benches. Bollinger stated that the process of choosing sketches could be more selective if there
were numerous proposals. Bryk stated that she heard not one proposal has been turned down
and was wondering how the committee would respond to proposals. Engelbrecht also stated
that criteria needed to be developed in order to reject or accept artist proposals and that phase
2 of the benchmarks project that would unify the benches and tighten the concept by taking
more aesthetic control over the benches. Bollinger asked if anyone was interested in being on
the committee give the best proposals an opportunity to work together and create a vision. Bryk
stated that the committee should limit the number of proposals to a certain number so no one is
excluded for any specific reason.
OTHER
No other news.
ADJOURNMENT
Engelbrecht motioned and Mitchell seconded a motion to adjourn at 4:45 PM.
Minutes created by Emily Ambrosy.