HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-06-2014 Public Art Advisory CommitteePublic Art Advisory Committee
Thursday, February 6, 2014
3:3OPM
City Manager's 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 December 5, 2013 meeting
D. Update on installation of Inside/Out posters on the Court Street
Transportation Center— Engelbrecht
E. Funding request for sculpture acquisition — Engelbrecht
F. Mural Project — Call to Artists review
G. Herky on Parade — review of City sponsored designs
H. Fiscal Year 2014 budget update
I. Updates - National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Grant
Grant Wood Neighborhood Art Update
J. Other?
K. Adjournment
MINUTES
PUBLIC ART ADVISORY COMMITTEE
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2013, 3:30PM
CITY MANAGER'S CONFERENCE ROOM — CITY HALL
Members present
Not present:
Staff Present:
Public Present:
CALL TO ORDER
Meeting called to order at 3:31 pm.
PRELIMINARY
John Engelbrecht, Rick Fosse, Mike Moran, and Brent
Westphal
Tam Bryk, Bill Nusser
Marcia Bollinger, Jeff Davidson
None
PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF ANY ITEM NOT ON THE AGENDA
No new business.
CONSIDERATION OF THE MINUTES OF THE NOVEMBER 14TH, 2013 MEETING
MOTION: Moran moved to approve the November 14th, 2013 meeting minutes as amended.
Fosse seconded. Motion passed 4:0.
NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS (NEA) GRANT
Kris Ackerson talked about the Our Town, Challenge American and Art Works grants available
through the National Endowment for the Arts. The Our Town grant funds performance arts such
as plays and operas, more specifically events/arts that are participatory or represent
placemaking. This grant is due in January 2014. The grant requires partnering with a non-profit
organization (Summer of the Arts). Another opportunity is to apply for a grant to commission art
work in downtown Iowa City. The grants typically range from 25,000-200,000 and require a 50%
match for funding. The Our Town grant requires the municipality be a co -applicant and only one
application can come from a community. Kris also mentioned an arts organization needs to be
the co -applicant. Fosse likes the idea of pursuing art works for the downtown, possibly a
permanent stage in the downtown pedestrian mall. The committee talked about the Black Hawk
mini park area as being an area to provide interactive artwork. Moran asked if we need to be
specific about the project for the grant and Kris said we should be as specific as possible. The
NEA needs to know their money will be spent on a piece of artwork that is of high caliber. Fosse
said the downtown streetscape plans should be done in January so it may aid writing the grant.
Engelbrecht agreed with the idea and said having an art piece like the bean in Chicago, IL
would be ideal. Marcia will forward the outcome from the meeting with the Summer of the Arts to
the committee.
FUTURE OF IOWA CITY PUBLIC ART PROGRAM MEMO REVIEW
Bollinger spoke of the revised Future of Iowa City Public Art Program Memo. The memo was
revised to the standardized memo format that would go to the City Manager, City Council and
be included in the budget materials for the Council. The memo outlines what the Committee will
do with the current funds and future funds. Davidson will present the public art budget as a part
of the planning and community development budget. Moran asked what the percent for art
funding option was. Bollinger stated that it could be a percent of capital improvement projects
for example but the variety of options is open for discussion. Also, determining alternative
funding sources (besides general funds) is important as Davidson explained because the
budget proposals will be under scrutiny. The packet of information would be pulled together by
the 17`h of December so if additional changes need to be made they should be completed
before then.
USE OF AVAILABLE FY13 FUNDS — APPROXIMATELY $10,000
A list of potential uses for the $10,000 FY13 public art funds was provided for the committee to
review, comment on and revise as necessary. Fosse proposed the plaques of the Iowa Avenue
Literary Walk as being a potential option for funding. The brass plaques are wearing with every
season and with snow removal the University is afraid of damaging the plaques. Fosse asked
the committee to think about what they wanted to do long term in regards to the placement of
the plaques. Some options discussed include removing them from the concrete and replacing
them, taking them out of the concrete and posting them on story walls, placing them in the tree
grates etc. The downtown master plan should be complete before the next PAAC meeting, the
committee talked about reviewing the proposed art projects within the plan. Bollinger asked the
committee to comment on the proposed uses for the funding included on a list she had
distributed. The proposed uses were developed by Tam, John, Marcia and Emily. There is
emphasis on projects that provide matching funds and partnerships. Bollinger stated that artists
are very interested in murals in Iowa City. The committee could co-sponsor the cost of a mural.
Multiple public space locations were proposed for murals. Moran proposed the aast wall of the
Recreation Center as a potential site. He also mentioned the buildings that housed the
fixtures/pumps for the splash pads at Wetherby and Fairmeadows Parks. Fosse talked about
the College street bridge wall and Rocky Shore Drive flood wall project. Moran said the
neighborhood is interested in revitalizing the Happy Hollow Park so we may not need to do any
work for that specific project. Engelbrecht mentioned that the committee could open up a call for
artists indicating we have funds to do 2-3 murals and require matching funds. The wall of
Yotopia is also a potential location for a mural. Moran and Fosse mentioned that they would
rather not fund performance arts. They would like to see artwork that remains in the City (a
physical change). Moran mentioned we could co-sponsor an artist in residence program. The
consensus is to use the $10,000 for as many projects as possible. Fosse said we could also pay
for the mural materials so the artwork is of high quality. Westphal stated that he designed and
implemented a tower building competition for at risk youth to introduce them to building, arts and
science. The program was one day and was sponsored by the Moen Group, Midwest One etc.
Bollinger asked if Westphal could think of related projects that we could fund. To conclude
Bollinger stated that she would set up a mural program that requires some sort of match.
Bollinger will revise the list of projects for the committee to review. Fosse said we could do a call
for artists to implement the murals.
UPDATE ON THE MONSOON UNITED ASIAN WOMEN OF IOWA ORGANIZATION'S
PROPOSAL FOR INSTALLATION OF INSIDE/OUT POSTERS ON THE COURT STREET
TRANSPORTATION CENTER
Engelbrecht updated the committee on the Inside/Out poster project. He mentioned that the
project may be extended due to the size issues of the posters in relation to the wall. Engelbrecht
wants to make sure the project can be best represented with the size etc. The cost of the project
may vary between $500 and $2,500. Bollinger asked if it was worth looking at other locations.
Engelbrecht will contact Mark Moen to determine if he is willing to fund the larger project.
Engelbrecht will send mock-ups of the wall to the committee so everyone can see where the
project is going. The Court Street Transportation Center will be the primary location but if that
does not work the project will be scaled back for a smaller location.
GRANT WOOD NEIGHBORHOOD ART UPDATE
The Grant Wood pillars are nearly complete. The stainless steel toppers are the last piece to go
on. Jill Harper would like to do a dedication ceremony in the spring. She would like to have
artists do a craft sale down the trail for the event.
OTHER
Moran asked about the status of the Mercer Park paintings. Rachael Arnone, an art teacher
from Southeast Junior High will use the Martin Luther King in-service day to paint the panels
and Terry Robinson will install them.
ADJOURNMENT
Fosse motioned and Westphal seconded a motion to adjourn at 4:39 PM. Motion passed 4:0.
Minutes created by Emily Ambrosy.