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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-04-2025 Public Art Advisory Committee Public Art Advisory Committee Thursday, September 4, 2025 3:30 PM Harvat Hall City Hall, 410 E. Washington AGENDA 1. Call to Order 2. Public discussion of any items not on the agenda 3. Consider minutes of the July 10, 2025 PAAC Meeting 4. South East Junior High Longfellow Tunnel Painting Project 5. Local Option Sales Tax Presentation (City Manager's Office) 6. Staff updates 7. Old or New Business 8. Adjournment If you will need disability-related accommodations in order to participate in this program/event, please contact Rachel Kilburg Varley, Public Art Coordinator at 319-356-5248 or rkilburg@iowa-city.org. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs. DRAFT, p.1 Public Art Advisory Committee Mtg, 711012025 Minutes Public Art Advisory Committee July 10, 2025 Emma J. Harvat Hall Public Art Advisory Committee Members Present: Leslie Finer, Andrea Truitt, Ron Knoche, Sophie Donta, Rachel Kinker, Anita Jung, Nate Sullivan, Stephanie Brunia Members Absent: Juli Seydell Johnson Staff present: Rachel Kilburg Varley Public Present: Gary Sanders Call to Order Truitt called the meeting to order at 3:33 p.m. Introduction of New Member: Stephanie Brunia Brunia, appointed to the Art or Design Professional seat for an unexpired term vacated by Jeremy Endsley, introduced herself. Public Discussion of Any Item Not on the Agenda Gary Sanders provided public comment encouraging public art in Black Hawk Mini Park honoring Chief Black Hawk and a sign recognizing the area as a park. Officer Election: Vice Chair Anita Jung volunteered to serve as Vice Chair. Sullivan seconded the nomination and motion passed to appoint Jung as Vice Chair (8-0). Consider minutes of the June 5, 2025 PAAC meetinq. Donta moved and Knoche seconded that the minutes from the June 5, 2025 meeting be approved. Motion passed (8-0). Arts Alliance Feasibility Study Presentation Kilburg Varley introduced Teva Dawson, founder of Group Creative Services, the consultant group hired to complete an Arts Alliance Feasibility Study. The Study is sponsored by the City, Iowa City Downtown District, and Think Iowa City and is being led by a Steering Committee formed of local arts and culture stakeholders. Dawson provided an overview of the process, explaining the purpose and goals, scope, timeline and phases of the Study and invited questions or comments from the Committee. Jung provided suggestions for other groups or connections to make during the input phase and expressed her support for the Study. Truitt asked when the Study DRAFT, p.2 Public Art Advisory Committee Mtg, 711012025 will be finalized and Teva shared that they are targeting early Fall and can continue to engage the Committee as desired. Teva asked the Committee for feedback on what needs they see in the arts community. Jung mentioned fostering community among the different arts groups and helping keep organizations sustainable. Sullivan shared that he hears many organizations struggle with promoting and marketing their events. Donta shared that the need for studio space, exhibition, and gallery space all emerged during the Strategic Planning process. Brunia pointed out Mindframe in Des Moines as a good example to look into. Staff thanked Teva for her presentation and invited Committee members to send any other feedback to her. Public Art Condition Survey & Report: Next Steps Kilburg Varley reported that her, Knoche, and Seydell Johnson met to refine the Condition Survey and Report provided by the Midwest Arts Conservation Center (MACC) to develop a plan to follow-up on restoration recommendations and plan annual maintenance activities. She recommended that the City contract with MACC to visit Iowa City to perform restoration on a sampling of the bronze sculptures and simultaneously train City staff to perform the maintenance in the future. She also noted that during the review it was discovered that a handful of artworks were inadvertently left off the survey, so MACC has agreed to perform a condition assessment on those during the visit for a small site fee. Finer made a motion to approve the recommendation for a contract with MACC for the bronze sculpture restoration and training, Sullivan seconded. Motion passed (8-0). Discuss FY26 Budget Priorities Kilburg Varley reviewed the memo in the agenda packet. She noted the FY2026 budget was decreased by $4,000 over the prior year. She asked the Committee to communicate their budget priorities for the coming year. Sullivan stated that maintenance should be a top priority due to recently completing the survey and several members agreed. Jung also stated that the matching grant should continue to be a priority and to also to maintain some flexibility within the budget to see what comes of the Arts Alliance Feasibility Study. Truitt suggested mapping gaps for public art and investment in the community. Finer also encouraged the Committee to consider opportunities for new requests, such as the idea in Black Hawk Mini Park suggested in public comment. DRAFT, p.3 Public Art Advisory Committee Mtg, 711012025 Kilburg Varley noted that the Sculptor's Showcase funding hits every other year due to timing, and it will need to be budgeted for in FY2027. Sullivan made a motion to approve the FY2026 budget priorities as follows, Finer seconded. Motion passed (8-0). FY2026 Public Art Budget Priorities Programs 2026 Matching Grant Program $15,000 Sculptor's Showcase* $0 Opportunity Fund** $15,000 Maintenance • MACC staff training for artwork maintenance $20,000 • Restoration of 1-2 existing pieces Misc. Longfellow Tunnel Mural—SEJH Project $500 Misc: events, printing, plaques, etc. $1,500 TOTAL $52,000 Staff Updates Kilburg Varley noted that she will begin including a Public Art Strategic Plan progress tracker in the agenda packet and invited the Committee to provide feedback on how it can be most helpful. She also noted that Truitt will be presenting the Strategic Plan to City Council at their August 5, 2025 work session. Finally, she also noted that a ribbon cutting was held for Uplift and was a successful event. Sullivan asked if a plaque would be installed and staff noted it is being manufactured but will be installed. Old or New Business None. Adjournment Knoche moved to adjourn at 4:22 pm. Sullivan seconded. Motion passed (8-0). DRAFT, p.4 Public Art Advisory Committee Mtg, 711012025 Public Art Advisory Committee Attendance Record 2024-2025 Name Term 6/6/24 8/1/24 9/5/24 10/3/24 11/7/24 12/5/24 2/6/25 3/6/25 4/3/25 5/1/25 6/525 7/1025 Expires Ron Knoche N/A X X O/E X X* X X* X X* X X X Juli Seydell- N/A X X X X* X X X X X X* X --- Johnson Steve Miller 12/31/23 X X --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- Eddie 12/31/24 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- Boyken Andrea 12/31/25 O/E X X X X X X X X X X X Truitt Anita Jung 6/30/23 X X X 0 X X 0 0 0 O/E O/E X Jenny 12/31/23 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- Gringer Jeremy 12/31/25 X X X O/E X O/E X X O/E --- --- --- Endsley Nate 6/30/26 X X O/E X O/E O/E X O/E X X O/E X Sullivan Leslie Finer 12/31/26 X X X X X X X X X X X X Rachel 12/31/27 X O/E X X O/E X X O/E X X X X Kinker Sophie 12/31/26 --- --- --- --- X X O/E X X X X X Donta Key: X = Present X* = Delegate attended 0 = Absent O/E = Absent/Excused --- = Not a member Updated:9-1-25 PROGRESS TRACKER Public Art Advisory Committee (PAAC)Strategic Plan I FY2025-FY2030 Highlighted text=updates since last time MAINTENANCE k$T�RMHIP Strategic Plan Action Item Status Summary Next Steps Implement recommendations from the Public Art Condition Assessment; aiming Signed Agreement with MACC to perform . Schedule restoration &training for bronze to complete at least 1 maintenance or repair project per year. bronze treatments&training. $18 spent of sculptures $20k set-aside for maintenance in 2025. . Incorporate public education component Update Public Art Management Guidelines to implement a timeline, process, Not started • Review existing language and bring edits to and communication standards for removal or deaccessioning of aging, PACC for discussion/approval—tentative unsalvageable, or non-maintainable works. Fall2025 Maintain updated condition records and prioritize maintenance planning and • Staff has begun working with • Review Cartegraph's capabilities to budget set-aside annually. Engineering Dept.to enter art schedule maintenance &restoration work inventory into the City's asset orders management software (Cartegraph) Develop standard procedure for evaluating the anticipated lifespan and Not started • Review existing language and procedures maintenance needs for new or proposed permanent installations. and bring recommendation to PACC for discussion/approval Continues on next page Updated:9-1-25 ARTIST WORKFORCE • ECONOMY Strategic Plan Action Item Status Summary Next Steps Continue annual public art grant program; aiming to increase visibility and grow Not started Staff will issue a brief survey or informal the diversity of applicants, project types, and locations. email to past grant recipients to request feedback on advantages or barriers to our existing grant format. Prior to 2026 grant program cycle, discuss ideas and opportunities to increase visibility and diversity- tentative late Fall/early Winter2025 Offer professional development resources or info sessions for local artists twice Not started Receive input from PAAC regarding annually. priorities for info sessions or professional development resources and identify local partners. Help connect local artists with accessible and affordable studio space and Not started Create asset map of existing exhibition opportunities through partners and existing community assets. opportunities in the community. continues on next page Updated:9-1-25 STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS & FUNDING Strategic Plan Action Item Status Summary Next Steps Identify external grant programs and funding opportunities(state,federal, Committee member Kinker has Identify and execute partnerships and philanthropic, or community partner cost-sharing)that may support identified tools/platforms to help local opportunities to promote these tools. organizational or stakeholder initiatives. artists and organizations search for funding opportunities. Collaborate to support the partner-led Arts Alliance Feasibility Study and Arts Alliance Feasibility Study is TBD after study is completed. agreeable recommendations resulting from the effort. underway. Through creative partnerships and/or programs, identify and promote Not started Not yet identified underutilized indoor locations for pop-up or temporary art exhibits. Establish public art relationship with the University of Iowa. Not started Not yet identified Elevate Iowa City Public Art communications through strategic and consistent Staff met with Communications Dept to Communications staff to implement content on existing City platforms. develop strategic, consistent public art plan. Staff has content plan available for marketing plan &social media content viewing if you are interested or have calendar. "Public Art"day on City's ideas. social accounts =first Wednesday of every month. Convene an annual Arts Stakeholder meeting and prioritize regular, informal Not started PAAC to identify purpose/desired meet-ups with local arts groups and institutions. outcome for Arts Stakeholder meeting, then set date. continues on next page Updated:9-1-25 ® � s Strategic Plan Action Item Status Summary Next Steps Identify underserved neighborhoods and/or public spaces to proactively target Not started After Cartegraph asset inventory is through existing City Public Art and Neighborhood Outreach grant programs. complete, overlay public art map with neighborhood associations; staff to collaborate with Neighborhood Outreach Specialist to identify targeted areas. Enhance and re-activate existing digital public art map(s)to promote the current Not started Staff is currently researching other city's collection and guide self-led tours. public art maps. Continue to prioritize pop-up,temporary, or mobile art experiences through 2025 grant awards underway. Form a working group to vet possible community partnerships or annual grant programs each year. strategies &program ideas for partnerships and/or funding opportunities (item below). Execute a targeted funding opportunity or grant program set-aside for 2D/indoor Not started See above. installations and/or displays facilitated in public facilities. Support a major River-focused public art initiative by 2027, in collaboration with Think Iowa City is leading Better Form working group to develop a pop- local and university stakeholders. Together 2030 river activation pillar up, river focused pilot program in 2026 and staff has informed them of this to build momentum. Strategic Planning item to stay in collaboration as work progresses. -end-