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Home My WebLink AboutPAAC Agenda Packet 03-07-19 Public Art Advisory Committee Thursday, March 7, 2019 3:30 PM Helling Lobby Conference Room 410 E Washington St AGENDA Call to order Public discussion of any item not on the agenda Consideration of minutes of the January 10, 2019 meeting Update regarding Public Art Strategic Plan Process A meeting was held on Thursday, February 28 with local Arts Professionals to receive initial feedback on planning considerations and process and a public meeting is scheduled for Friday, March 8. The subcommittee will provide an update. Review Draft Public Art Survey A draft of a survey has been developed and PAAC members should review and provide their feedback. Committee announcements or Committee reports Staff reports Adjournment If you will need disability-related accommodations in order to participate in this program/event, please contact Marcia Bollinger, Neighborhood and Development Services at 319-356-5237 or marcia- bollinger@iowa-city.org. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs. MINUTES PUBLIC ART ADVISORY COMMITTEE JANUARY 10TH, 2019 – 3:30 PM LOBBY CONFERENCE ROOM – CITY HALL MEMBERS PRESENT: Vero Rose Smith, Steve Miller, Ron Knoche, Juli Seydell Johnson, Andrea Truitt, Eddie Boyken NOT PRESENT: Wendy Brown STAFF PRESENT: Marcia Bollinger, Erika Kubly, Kumi Morris PUBLIC PRESENT: Tim Adams, Sherry Adams ELECTION OF OFFICERS: CHAIRPERSON AND VICE CHAIRPERSON Marcia Bollinger asked the Committee if any member would like to nominate a chairperson. Juli Seydell Johnson nominated Vero Rose Smith as chairperson. Andrea Truitt seconded the nomination. Motion passed unanimously. Bollinger asked if any member would like to nominate a vice chairperson. Ron Knoche nominated Steve Miller. Rose Smith seconded the nomination. Motion passed unanimously. PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF ANY ITEM NOT ON THE AGENDA There was no public discussion of any item not on the agenda. CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES OF THE DECEMBER 6, 2018 MEETING Knoche moved to approve the December 6, 2018 minutes. Seydell Johnson seconded. Motion passed unanimously. CITY HALL LOBBY STAIRWELL ART PROJECT: TIM ADAMS Tim Adams stated that there are a couple of items that still need to be decided regarding the City Hall lobby project. Adams asked the Committee if they want to be able to make the lighting behind the piece multi-colored and if they want to be able to adjust the color as they see fit. Adams also mentioned that Committee members has requested that the light be dimmed as well, which Adams stated could be done. Adams stated that the blue color had been selected initially because it tends to reflect well and evenly, but that the color can be changed whenever with the new multi- colored lights. Adams stated that the multi-colored lights carry extra wattage and will cost more than the individual color lights. Seydell Johnson stated that she believes the Committee should chose the multi-colored lights for the sake of having more options. Bollinger stated that the subcommittee met and had also decided multi-colored lights are the best choice. Bollinger stated that some people had also asked if the color of the lights could be dimmed and softened. Adams responded that he can configure the LEDs so that they are more evenly spaced, which would dictate the distribution of light on each panel. Bollinger also asked if there is a chance there could be more color options to choose between. Adams replied that yes, that is possible. Bollinger PRELIMINARY asked if there is a white light option currently. Adams replied that there is not a white light option, as that would require an additional set of LEDs, and that the closest the multi-colored lights could get to a white is a washed-out light blue or yellow. Adams asked Bollinger if she had requested there be more branches featured in the piece. Bollinger responded that she had but the specifics of how they appear are up to Adams. Adams suggested several ways by which they could achieve a stronger branch patterns. Adams mentioned that he had designed the dates to be cut thinly and appear subtly. Bollinger asked the Committee their thoughts on the dates because at one point they had decided that they did not want the dates to be too obvious. Seydell Johnson mentioned that she likes how they are designed because it will allow people to discover them the longer they look at the piece. Bollinger stated that she agrees, and therefore thinks they should be designed smaller. Adams stated that the smallest number he can cut with accuracy is about an inch and the smallest thickness is around a sixteenth of an inch. Bollinger asked if the dates could be engraved. Adams responded that would be possible but difficult because the pieces are so large. Vero Rose Smith asked if the Committee needs to approve the plan. Bollinger responded that, yes, the Committee needs to approve the plan as presented or with some approved contingencies. Adams asked the Committee if they have any changes they would like to make to the plan before it is approved. Adams mentioned that there were some questions about the way the flaps of metal are cut to mimic the shagbark hickory. Adams stated that he had formed the U-shape by pixelating and vectorizing a photo of shagbark hickory until it had simplified into that abstract shape. Adams ask the Committee what direction they preferred the metal flaps to peel away. Bollinger mentioned that there may be more light coming through the piece if they peel away from the bottom. Rose Smith agreed that she likes the way it appears in the sample because it allows the light to come through. Adams mentioned that he had also designed a way to allow the panels to be removed for cleaning of them and the wall. Bollinger asked Adams to tell the Committee about the transformer. Adams informed the Committee that the transformer should be about the size of one used for outdoor light landscaping and gave the Committee details on how the wiring could be run through the piece. Adams also gave details as to how the piece would be mounted on the wall. Seydell Johnson motioned to approve the design as shown on Tim Adam’s plans. Knoche seconded. Motion passed unanimously. PUBLIC ART PROGRAM FUNDING PROPOSAL DISCUSSION Bollinger provided the memo presented to the City Council on December 18, 2018 by Thomas Agran and mentioned that Agran was encouraged to do so before the Council started formal discussions regarding the budget. Bollinger stated that it was unclear during the presentation whether the memo had been reviewed by the Public Art Advisory Committee and at no point had anyone said the memo was formally adopted by the Public Art Advisory Committee. Bollinger stated that the Council did discuss increasing the Public Art budget by $25,000 for the next fiscal year. Bollinger stated that the City Manager and the Council members would like to see a strategic plan from the Public Art Advisory Committee prior to making the final allocation of funds. Bollinger stated that she is confident the Committee or a subcommittee could draft quickly, given the number of materials already created for this purpose. Bollinger stated that she thinks there needs to be correspondence with the City Council that suggests that the memo did not receive the full approval of the Public Art Advisory Committee but that the Committee plans to create a strategic plan to present to the Council in the near future. Seydell Johnson stated that she would add that it is not from the funding source as recommended, but from the façade-change program, a program where Downtown and North Marketplace businesses can apply for loans for half the expense of making façade improvements. Seydell Johnson stated that it is part of Economic Development funding, rather than the Hotel/Motel tax, because they wanted a more sustainable long-term source of funds. Seydell Johnson asked if it was necessary for the Committee to specify that Agran is not a member of the Committee. Bollinger replied that they can specify that the Public Art Advisory Committee will take the lead. Seydell Johnson suggested mentioning that the Committee will be working in conjunction with Thomas Agran. Seydell Johnson also mentioned that she understood that Council was also interested in the funding being used more widely throughout the community rather than being focused within Downtown, so the idea was that the Downtown would have its own funding for art and that this funding received by the Committee is to be used elsewhere, to encompass all the other neighborhoods and districts. Rose Smith asked what the timeline on producing the correspondence with Council would be. Bollinger responded that the sooner the better. Knoche stated that his understanding of the situation is that the $50,000 will be a part of the budget proposal that Council will move forward with, but that the money will not be able to be allocated until the strategic plan is developed by the Committee, and that the strategic plan not only has to address public art but also the Council’s strategic plan that they have in place. Rose Smith stated that a subcommittee had already been formed to discuss funding earlier, composed of Steve Miller, Eddie Boyken, and herself, and that they could continue that subcommittee. Knoche stated that it is important that the strategic plan drafted by the subcommittee comes back to the Committee before it is presented to Council. Bollinger asked if a motion needed to be made for the Committee to communicate with City Council regarding the status of this situation, because she feels that it would be wise to inform Council that the memo did not come from the Public Art Advisory Committee, that the Committee is appreciative of Council’s consideration to increase the budget, and that the Committee will also be working on a strategic plan to present to Council. Seydell Johnson stated that her understanding is that Council would like the strategic plan to be presented to them in a work session, which she believes the full Committee should attend. Rose Smith confirmed that the Committee needs to make a motion to approve that the Committee did not create the proposal, explain in a correspondence to the Council that the Committee has formed a subcommittee to continue forward with this initiative, and that the Committee will make another presentation to the Council in a work session after the Committee has completed and submitted a strategic plan. Seydell Johnson stated that she would add that once the subcommittee has drafted the strategic plan it will be brought to the full Committee for approval. Seydell Johnson motioned for staff to create a memo based on the points previously stated by Rose Smith to present back to the Council. Boyken seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Steve Miller arrived at 4:20 p.m. COMMITTEE ANNOUNCEMENTS OR REPORTS: There were no committee announcements or reports. STAFF REPORTS: Bollinger stated that information about Poetry in Public was sent out prior to the holidays and that the deadline is February 1. Bollinger asked the Committee if any member was interested in serving on the Poetry in Public Selection Committee this year. Rose Smith mentioned that she volunteered last year and enjoyed the process. Bollinger mentioned that she will try to arrange the meeting before Spring Break, that it usually occurs on a weekday and lasts around two hours, and that the selection committee usually meets at Prairie Lights. Bollinger mentioned that there are usually representatives from the University of Iowa, the UNESCO City of Literature Board, the Iowa City Public Library, Prairie Lights, and Iowa Book. Truitt volunteered to serve as representative from the Public Art Advisory Committee. ADJOURNMENT: Knoche motioned to adjourn. Seydell Johnson seconded. Meeting Adjourned at 4:30 p.m. Public Art Advisory Committee Attendance Record 2018-2019 Name Term Expires 5/3 6/7 7/12 8/2 9/6 10/4 11/1 12/6 1/10 Wendy Brown 01/01/20 x x x x x x x O/E O/E Erin Fitzgerald 01/01/20 x x x x x x -- -- -- Ron Knoche x x x x x x x x x Juli Seydell- Johnson x x x x x x x x x Vero Rose Smith 01/01/21 x O/E x O/E x x x x x Steve Miller 02/01/21 x O/E x x x x x x x Andrea Truitt 01/01/22 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- x x Eddie Boyken 01/01/22 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- x Key: X = Present O = Absent O/E = Absent/Excused --- = Not a member IOWA CITY PUBLIC ART SURVEY (DRAFT) • My relationship to public art is: o I make it o I like it o I am neutral o I don’t understand it o I dislike it • My favorite example of Public Art in Iowa City is: (provide images) o Four Module Piece Form 2 (Kenneth Snelson) o Playful Investigation (Jo Myers-Walker) o Iowa Avenue Literary Walk (Gregg LeFevre) o Irving Weber (Steve Maxon & Dorris Parks) o Weatherdance (Myklebust-Sears) o Coexist Mural (Sayuri Sasaki Hemann) o Goosetown Mural (Thomas Agran) o Northside Street Sign Markers (John Coyne) o Longfellow Historic Markers (Will Thomson) o Dancing Water (BJ Katz) o Prairie Box (temporary installation by Hannah Givler) o Hopscotch (Thomas Agran o Other (please specify) • My least favorite example of Public Art in Iowa City is: o Four Module Piece Form 2 (Kenneth Snelson) o Playful Investigation (Jo Myers-Walker) o Iowa Avenue Literary Walk (Gregg LeFevre) o Irving Weber (Steve Maxon & Dorris Parks) o Weatherdance (Myklebust-Sears) o Coexist Mural (Sayuri Sasaki Hemann) o Goosetown Mural (Thomas Agran) o Northside Street Sign Markers (John Coyne) o Longfellow Historic Markers (Will Thomson) o Dancing Water (BJ Katz) o Prairie Box (temporary installation by Hannah Givler) o Hopscotch o Other (please specify) • The role of public art is: (select top 3) o Beautify o Tourism/Economic Development o Establishing a sense of place o Community Development o Inspire creativity o Create neighborhood identity o Social change o Support artists o Functional (benches, bike racks, signage, lighting) • I want to see public art in: (select top 3) o Public buildings o Downtown streets and alleys o Pedestrian walkways and trails o Parks o Vacant lots o My neighborhood o Buses / Bus Stops o Along the river o Unexpected places o Other (please specify) • The public art I most enjoy is: (select top 5) o Earthworks o Performance art o Sculpture o Theater o Music/sound installation o Projections o Murals o Dance o Pop-up/temporary o Community events to create art o Wayfinding (signage, crosswalks, maps) o Street Furniture (benches, bike racks, bus stops, etc) o Other (please specify) • I would like to see public art in Iowa City reflect: (select top 3) o Cultural symbols and traditions o Playfulness and whimsy o Beauty o History/Monumental o High Tech o Landscape/Nature o Political o Other (please specify) • If Iowa City were to commission a large/monumental, iconic public artwork, should it be located: o Downtown o Gateways or major entrances to IC (Dubuque St, North Dodge, Hwy 1, Melrose Ave, etc) o In a park (Chauncey Swan, College Green, Hickory Hill, etc.) o Nowhere - Iowa City doesn’t need a large iconic public artwork. • I’m in favor of the City supporting a community art center. o Strongly agree o Agree o Neutral o Disagree o Strongly disagree • To fund public art, I would support use of the following taxes: (Select all that apply) o Hotel/Motel Tax o Transit tax o Sin tax o Sales tax o Property Tax o Other (please specify) • To fund public art, I would support use of the following funding sources: (Select all that apply) o % of budget for municipal construction projects o % of budget for all private construction projects o Public art endowment o Private gifts o Other (please specify) • I would like to be involved with public art in the following ways: (Select all that apply) o Create it myself o Design it and work with a fabricator to create it o Fabricate someone else’s design o Help an artist paint a mural or other piece of public art o Participate in a event/festival to create your own artwork o Observe an event/festival in which other community members are creating art o Serve on an advisory board or committee o Help design and plant a themed garden o Encourage my church, club, or company to sponsor a public art project. o Suggest a potential public art project o Attend a public art performance (theater, dance, concert, etc.) o Attend a public art walk or unveiling o Other (please specify) • If there were no constraints, what would public art in Iowa City look like? o ________________________________________________________________________ • Any other ideas or comments that would help us develop the Public Art Strategic Plan for Iowa City? o ________________________________________________________________________ • What district do you live in? (clickable map + option for outside of Iowa City) • How old are you? (Provide multiple choice age range) o Under 18 o 18 – 24 o 25 – 34 o 35 – 44 o 45 – 54 o 55 – 64 o 65+ Public Art Survey Examples: Jeffersonville Santa Monica Boston Chicago (I borrowed most heavily from this one) Salisbury Albuquerque (results narrative) San Antonio (results report) Clemson Public Art Plan (with survey results in the appendix)