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Home My WebLink About12-4-25 PAAC Agenda PacketPublic Art Advisory Committee Thursday, December 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 November 6, 2025 PAAC Meeting 4. Old Post Office Gallery Program: 2026 Exhibition Calendar, Call for Artists, and Emerging Artist Mentorship Round 5. Old Post Office Gallery Program: Nomination of PAAC Member for Artist Selection Committee 6. 2026 Public Art Matching Grant Program Approval 7. January PAAC Meeting Date 8. Staff updates 9. Old or New Business 10. 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, 11/6/2025 Minutes Public Art Advisory Committee November 6, 2025 Emma J. Harvat Hall Public Art Advisory Committee Members Present: Andrea Truitt, Ron Knoche, Juli Seydell Johnson, Anita Jung, Sophie Donta, Leslie Finer Members Absent: Nate Sullivan, Stephanie Brunia Staff present: Rachel Kilburg Varley, LaTasha DeLoach (Iowa City Senior Center) Public Present: None Call to Order Truitt called the meeting to order at 3:35 p.m. Public Discussion of Any Item Not on the Agenda None. Consider minutes of the July 10, 2025 PAAC meeting. Johnson moved and Donta seconded that the minutes from the October 2, 2025 meeting be approved. Motion passed (6-0). Review & Consider Old Post Office Gallery at the Senior Center Staff presented the proposed Old Post Office Gallery at the Senior Center exhibition program, including the proposed policy and procedure included in the agenda packet. Additionally, staff presented the “Parables of the Future” Afrofuturism community mural project proposed as part of the first exhibition in January – February 2026 celebrating Black History Month. $2,000 in public art funding is requested to support the community mural supplies. DeLoach responded to questions from the Committee about the opening exhibition and community mural. Knoche asked about the existing exhibit space condition and capabilities and staff shared that separate funding has been secured to make some improvements to the space to better outfit it for ongoing exhibitions. Jung asked for clarification on the PAAC’s role in the partnership. Staff shared that the Public Art Program’s role would be to manage the Call for Artists and selection process and that the Senior Center staff would take over coordination for implementation of the exhibitions after selections are made. Additionally, the PAAC would determine whether to offer the New + Emerging Artist Mentorship round each year, and budget the stipends accordingly, if yes. The annual calendar of exhibitions will be coordinated jointly between the Senior Center and Public Art Coordinator based on planned/known or DRAFT, p.2 Public Art Advisory Committee Mtg, 11/6/2025 themed exhibition periods and periods which will be filled with artists from the General Call for Artists. Finer asked about operations and logistics going forward. Staff provided some detail on next steps to issue a call for artists and the communications and outreach collateral that need to be created to promote the gallery space and artist exhibition opportunities. Jung asked where Public Art funding will come from to support the project. Staff noted that the $2,000 to support the community mural could come from the FY26 Public Art Opportunity Fund and that the $250 for the potential Emerging Artist round each year would be carved out from the same. The Committee discussed the possibility of requesting a portion of sales commission be remitted to the Public Art Committee but ultimately decided against it since the bulk of the administrative and cost burden for operating the gallery program falls on the Senior Center. Donta moved to adopt the proposed Senior Center Art Gallery policy and procedure documents as written, Finer seconded. Motion passed (6-0). Finer motioned to support the proposed Afrofuturism community mural project with $2,000 in Public Art funding, Donta seconded. Motion passed (6-0). Consider By-Laws Amendment Revising Membership Per the FY25-30 Public Art Strategic Plan, which includes an action item to establish a formal public art relationship with the University of Iowa, staff presented an amendment to the Public Art Advisory Committee By-Laws to convert one At-large seat to an ex- officio seat to be held by the University of Iowa, specifically a staff member with professional or administrative experience related to publicly-accessible art on campus. Committee members expressed the importance of close coordination and collaboration with the University of Iowa and their publicly-accessible art collection. The Committee discussed the appropriate balance between At-large, art or design professionals, and ex-officio seats. The Committee proposed changing the proposed amendment to: “The Public Art Advisory Committee shall consist of nine (9) members, six of whom shall be appointed by the City Council. Of the six appointees, at least two (2) shall be art or design professionals. Three (3) members shall be ex officio and shall be one (1) staff representative from and appointed by the University of Iowa with professional or administrative authority related to public art, campus planning, and/or campus enhancement; and one (1) staff representative from each of the Departments of Public Works and Parks & Recreation. All appointed members of the Committee shall be qualified electors of the City of Iowa City, Iowa.” Finer moved to approve as amended, Jung seconded. Motion passed (6-0). DRAFT, p.3 Public Art Advisory Committee Mtg, 11/6/2025 Staff Updates Staff shared that Susan Thompson and Aaron Mosely were appointed to the Committee, with terms beginning January 1, 2026. Staff also shared they have begun working with the City Attorney’s Office to address the Strategic Plan item to update a policy on decommissioning of public artworks. Additionally, staff is working with the Iowa City Downtown District to reactivate downtown public art map using the Hello Lamp Post software. Jung asked for an update on the Arts Alliance Feasibility Study. Staff shared that the next Steering Committee meeting is still underway and the consultant is working towards a recommendation, which they will present to the Steering Committee later in November with a final report anticipated in December. Old or New Business None. Adjournment Knoche moved to adjourn. Johnson seconded. Motion passed (6-0). DRAFT, p.4 Public Art Advisory Committee Mtg, 11/6/2025 Public Art Advisory Committee Attendance Record 2024-2025 Name Term Expires 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 9/4/25 10/2/25 11/6/25 Johnson Boyken Truitt Gringer Endsley Sullivan Kinker Donta Brunia Key: X = Present X* = Delegate attended O = Absent O/E = Absent/Excused --- = Not a member MEMORANDUM Date: November 25, 2025 To: Public Art Advisory Committee From: Rachel Kilburg Varley, Public Art Coordinator Re: Old Post Office Gallery at the Senior Center Calendar, Call for Artists, and Emerging Artist Round Overview Following approval of the Old Post Office Gallery at the Iowa City Senior Center, planning is underway to implement the gallery beginning in calendar year 2026. The ﬁrst exhibition, “Parables of the Future: Black Future Fest” is slated for January – February 2026. Promotions advertising the launch of the gallery, debut exhibition, and community mural opportunity will be issued via City Communications channels soon. Staff is seeking input and approval from the Public Art Advisory Committee for the remaining exhibitions in 2026. Proposed 2026 Exhibition Calendar • January–February: Parables of the Future: Black Future Fest (curated by Senior Center) • March–April: TBD (curated by Senior Center) • May–June: Older Americans Month + Arts Fest Gallery Walk (curated by Senior Center) • July–August: Open Exhibition (Call for Artists) • September–October: Open Exhibition (Call for Artists)* • November–December: Open Exhibition (Call for Artists)* Staff anticipate selecting 3 – 6 artists from the Call for Artists to ﬁll these July–December time slots, depending on whether selected artists are seeking use of one or both galleries for their proposed exhibition. *If desired by the PAAC, one of the September – December exhibition periods may be designated an Emerging Artist/Mentorship round. As a reminder, this would pair an experienced exhibiting artist with a ﬁrst-time or early-career exhibitor. The mentor would guide the emerging artist through best practices in exhibit preparation, display techniques, pricing, and professional presentation. The emerging artist would receive a $150 materials stipend to assist with purchasing essential display items such as frames, hanging wire, or business cards. The mentor would receive an $200 honorarium in recognition of their mentorship and contribution to the program. Items for PAAC Review & Action 1. Decide whether to offer a New + Emerging Artist Mentorship Exhibition in 2026 Per the adopted Policy and Procedure, PAAC determines annually whether to offer a New + Emerging Artist Mentorship Exhibition. If PAAC elects to proceed in 2026: • Staff will issue a separate Call for Emerging Artists later in the year. • One of the fall/winter exhibition slots would be designated for the mentorship round. • The 2026 calendar and general Call for Artists would be updated accordingly. • Stipends ($150 mentee materials stipend; $200 mentor honorarium) would be budgeted by the Public Art Program. If PAAC decides not to offer the Emerging Artist round in 2026, all three open slots will be ﬁlled through the general Call for Artists. Suggested Action: I move that the Public Art Advisory Committee approve offering a New + Emerging Artist Mentorship Exhibition in 2026 and the $250 expense. 2. Review and Consider Approval of the Proposed 2026 Exhibition Calendar Approval of the calendar will allow staff to ﬁnalize communications and begin coordination with Senior Center staff. Suggested Action: I move that the Public Art Advisory Committee approve the proposed 2026 Old Post Office Gallery exhibition calendar as presented [or as amended]. 3. Review and Consider Approval of the 2026 Call for Artists A draft Call for Artists has been prepared and is attached to this memo for review. Upon PAAC approval, the Call will be released in late February/early March to allow adequate time for application, selection, and scheduling/coordination with artists. Suggested Action: I move that the Public Art Advisory Committee approve the proposed 2026 Old Post Office Gallery Call for Artists as presented [or as amended]. 4. Nomination of a PAAC Member to Serve on the 2026 Selection Committee Artist submissions and selections will be overseen by a Selection Committee consisting of the Public Art Coordinator, Senior Center Program Specialist, and one representative each from the PAAC and Iowa City Senior Center. Call for Artists: 2026 Exhibitions at the Old Post Office Gallery The City of Iowa City Public Art Program and the Iowa City Senior Center invite Iowa-based artists to submit artwork for exhibition at the Old Post Office Gallery, located inside the historic Iowa City Senior Center at 28 S. Linn Street. This newly formalized gallery program features two exhibition spaces, the Main Gallery in the Assembly Room and the Top Floor Gallery, a bright corridor connecting the parking garage to program rooms. Exhibitions rotate approximately every two months, providing ongoing opportunities for artists to share their work with a diverse, intergenerational audience. The City is seeking artists for three exhibition periods in 2026: • July – August 2026 • September – October 2026 • November – December 2026 Eligibility This call is open to all artists residing in Iowa. Artists may submit existing works or new works that have not previously exhibited at the Senior Center or in other City of Iowa City art programs. AI-generated artwork or artwork containing AI-generated imagery will not be accepted. The galleries primarily accommodate: • Two-dimensional artwork including painting, drawing, mixed media, photography, prints, and ﬁber arts. • Small three-dimensional work such as ceramics, sculpture, or similar pieces may be accepted in a very limited capacity. As a general guideline, wall-mounted works should not exceed 36 inches in width or 48 inches in height (including frame) or exceed 25 pounds in weight per piece. Artists may propose exhibitions that utilize one or both gallery spaces. For detailed gallery dimensions and display conditions, please visit [Insert URL of program webpage]. Selected artists may off their work for sale. Sales are handled privately between the artist and buyer and the Senior Center collects a 25% commission on all works sold during display. Selection Applications are reviewed by a selection committee consisting of Iowa City Public Art and Iowa City Senior Center staff and commission members. Selections will be based on artistic quality, diversity of media and perspectives, suitability for the exhibition spaces, and alignment with program goals. A total of three to six artists will be selected for the 2026 exhibition calendar. Selected artists will receive a 2-month dedicated exhibition period, artwork tags and general gallery signage, promotion through City communication channels, an optional opening reception, and coordination support from Senior Center staff. How to Apply Artists must submit an online application, including: 1. Digital Images – One image per artwork submitted 2. Artwork Information – Title, year, medium, and dimensions for each piece 3. Artist Statement (max 300 words) – Your process, themes, and inspirations Please note that all application materials become part of the public record and may be subject to a Freedom of Information Act request. Deadline to Apply: 8:00 a.m. on April 1, 2026 View full program policy and guidelines and apply online at: [insert url to program webpage] MEMORANDUM Date: November 25, 2025 To: Public Art Advisory Committee From: Rachel Kilburg Varley, Public Art Coordinator Re: Agenda Item #6: 2026 Public Art Matching Grant Program Approval At the October 2, 2025 meeting, the PAAC reviewed and discussed the Public Art Matching Grant Program in advance of the 2026 funding round. At that meeting, the PAAC directed the following to staff for the 2026 Matching Grant program: • Deﬁne “commodities and supplies” as an eligible match source in the grant guidelines. • Incorporate the following project components into the language on eligible project types, instead of split out separately: functional art, unexpected art, participatory art, and ephemeral art. • Request grant recipients acknowledge PAAC sponsorship in their project, program, or event communications and promotion materials. • Link to the FY26 – 30 Public Art Strategic Plan in the rubric and highlight the new strategic priorities in the grant FAQs and application webinar. • Eliminate Section E “PAAC Deﬁnition of Public Art” in the scoring rubric due to redundancy. These changes have been incorporated and the proposed 2026 program guidelines and rubric are attached for PAAC’s ﬁnal approval. Upon PAAC’s approval, staff will proceed with launching the 2026 funding round: • January 2026: Application period opens and news release/social media is issued. • February 2026: Informational webinar is held for prospective applicants. • March 2026: Applications are due and PAAC members begin individual evaluation. • April 2026: Funding awards are made at the April 2, 2026 PAAC meeting. • May – December 2026: Funding agreements are executed with selected applicants and projects are completed by December 31, 2026. DRAFT 2026 Public Art Matching Grant Program Purpose: The Iowa City Public Art Matching Grant Program aims to foster creativity and enhance opportunities to access the arts in Iowa City. The program is available for art projects (visual, audio or performance based) that are located in Iowa City and accessible to the general public. Timeline: All projects must be completed during calendar year 2026: • Early January 2026: Application period opens • Late February 2026: Applications due • March: PAAC members to review applications and score (See “Review Process” below) • April 2, 2026: Make funding decisions at April PAAC meeting (see “Review Process” below) Funding: PAAC can allocate up to $15,000 • 50/50 matching grant o Maximum grant award: $4,000 (total project costs of at least $8,000) o Minimum grant award: $500 (total project cost of at least $1,000) Application: Applications will be accepted via online form. Review Process: 1. Submissions will be scored independently by the Iowa City Public Art Advisory Committee (PAAC) members using the Public Art Matching Grant Evaluation Rubric. Each member must submit scores/comments to the Iowa City Public Art Coordinator (or designee) by March 25, 2026. 2. The Public Art Coordinator (or designee) will compile scores and comments (anonymously) and present a ranking of applications at the April 2, 2026 Public Art Advisory Committee meeting. PAAC will discuss, determine, and approve final funding awards. ELIGIBLE PROPOSALS • Publicly accessible and viewable within Iowa City– on public or private property (application requires prior approval of private property owner or appropriate City department). • Murals, sculpture, installations that are permanent or temporary that will withstand human and weather elements associated with the installation location. • Visual, audio or performance-based projects. • Projects may include, but are not limited to, those which incorporate a functional, unexpected, participatory, or ephemeral component. • Projects must be installed/completed by December 31, 2026 ELIGIBLE EXPENSES • Materials and supplies necessary for the creation of the artwork • Wages/stipend for artists/performers to create the work • Contract labor for installation such as site prep, concrete pouring, tile installation DRAFT ELIGIBLE MATCHING FUNDS • other Non-City grants • other donations • personal contributions • In-kind services • Commodities/supplies [Consumable materials and physical items required to fabricate, install, or complete the public art project. Examples include raw materials (e.g., metal, wood, concrete), consumables (e.g., paint, primers, grout, adhesives), and hardware (e.g., bolts, brackets, anchors).] PROPOSALS AND EXPENSES NOT ELIGIBLE • Events or performances that are a part of an applicant’s regular programs • Those that do not have the arts as their primary focus • Those intending to influence public policy or to evangelize a belief • Those that advertise, promote, or gain in any way for a for-profit business; or those that incorporate the logo or are intended to promote a non-profit organization • Those for which patrons will be charged admission • Fees to secure a site (permits, purchasing land) • Food/Beverages • Events with a primary focus of fundraising NOTE: If applicant has received Public Art Matching Funds for a project that has not been completed, they are not eligible to submit an application until the previous project is completed satisfactorily. WHO CAN APPLY • Organizations, schools, and individuals located within Iowa City • Individual artists • Nonprofit 501(c)(3) arts organizations • Privately owned/operated businesses 1 Public Art Matching Fund Program Awards Rubric I. OVERALL APPLICATION 3. Application is clear, concise, and well composed. Case for support is exemplary and merits investment from the City. 2. Application is clear. Case for support is adequate. 1. Application is unclear or poorly composed. Case for support is inadequate or does not merit City investment. B. Artist Qualifications/Selection 3. Project artist has excellent qualifications to perform the project or applicant has a feasible plan in place for recruiting a qualified artist. adequate qualifications or applicant has a general idea of how to recruit a qualified artist. qualified or the applicant has no plan in place for recruiting an artist. C. Need/Gap substantially different from regular programming or has not been done before by the City or a Grantee. that are different from the applicant’s regular programming. by the applicant previously or closely resembles artwork/events already available in Iowa City. II. PROJECT DETAILS AND DESCRIPTION D. Project Description (artwork/event and materials description) The FY2025 – 2030 Public Art Strategic Plan is available at www.icgov.org/publicart. are exemplary and clearly advance the mission, vision, and goals laid out in the Public Art Strategic Plan and Iowa City Public Art satisfactorily advance the mission, vision, and goals laid out in the Public Art Strategic Plan and Iowa City Public Art Management Plan. 1. Project and description are unclear and do not advance the mission, vision, and goals laid out in the Public Art Strategic Plan and Iowa City Public Art E. Audience project is well-defined and relevant to the project. project is identified. Plans to disseminate project and project is not defined. Plans to disseminate and provide 2 provide equitable access to project are exemplary. satisfactory. project are inadequate. F. Project Success, Outcomes & Measures defined by specific and meaningful measures or outcomes. Collection and evaluation of such measures is feasible. generally defined or identified measures or outcomes may be difficult to capture or demonstrate. defined and evaluation measures or outcomes are missing, weak, inadequate, or unclear. Identified measures or outcomes are G. Project Location considerately and strategically thought out to reach target audience. Project is appropriate for the location. Location is a priority location for the PAAC. Approvals have been obtained from property owner(s). for the project. The project is appropriate for the location. Approvals have been obtained from property owner(s). and project does not suit chosen location. Approvals have not been obtained from property owner(s). H. Project Partners demonstration of collaborative partnership. All involved parties share significant responsibility for the successful outcome of the project. demonstration of collaboration. There is investment on both sides, but it is imbalanced. demonstrated partnership. If there are listed partners, partners appear minimally involved. II. PROJECT TIMELINE, BUDGET & PLANS I. Timeline & Feasibility 3 3. Project has strong implementation objectives. Timeline demonstrates thoughtful planning and detailed consideration. Confident project will be realized through a clear, reasonable timeline. Artist and partner responsibilities are clearly defined. 2. Project has identified implementation objectives. Timeline demonstrates planning and consideration of most tasks needed. Artist and partner responsibilities are defined. 1. Project has unclear implementation objectives and timeline. Raises concerns about project achievability. Artist and partner responsibilities are undefined or unclear. 3. Project leverages diverse funding sources and in-kind support as appropriate. PAAC funds are clearly integral to project implementation. some diversity in funding sources or in-kind support as appropriate. PAAC funds are supplementary to project implementation. K. Project Expenses project budget is clear and intended use of matching funds is detailed. project budget is clear, but the intended use of matching funds is implied but inadequately detailed. unreasonable, project budget is vague, and the intended use of matching funds is inadequate or L. File Uploads: Images/plans and project illustration samples are of high quality and clearly demonstrate exceptional capabilities in samples are of average quality and demonstrate capabilities in artistic samples are of poor quality or demonstrate inadequate capabilities in concept and