HomeMy WebLinkAbout7.1 Art Takes Place
CITY CLERK
File # D[Q][Q)[Q]-0J[Q]
AGENDA STATEMENT
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: June 19, 2007
SUBJECT:
Dublin Fine Arts Foundation - Art Takes Place
Report by John Hartnett, Heritage & Cultural Arts Supervisor
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Art Takes Place - 3 Cities, 3 Weeks
RECOMMENDATION:~
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Authorize payment of $30,000 for the Art Takes
Place - 3 Cities, 3 Weeks Project
FINANCIAL STATEMENT:
$30,000 is available in the FY 2006-2007 Budget
DESCRIPTION: In March, 2006, the City Council approved a request from the
Dublin Fine Arts Foundation (DF AF) for $30,000 to provide implementation funds for the "In the Tri-
Valley: Art Takes Place" proposal. Art Takes Place is a public art project for the Tri-Valley area, centered
in Dublin, Pleasanton, and Livermore, promoting public awareness and participation in the arts. The cities
of Livermore and Pleasanton have also approved a $30,000 commitment each, for the Art Takes Place
project.
In November, 2006, a Steering Committee was formed to assist with various aspects of the project, led by
Lynne Baer, Consulting Director for DF AF. The Committee is comprised of DF AF members, City Staff
from all three cities and Arts Commissioners and art representatives from Dublin, Pleasanton and
Livermore.
Art Takes Place - 3 Cities, 3 Weeks will consist of a site-specific commissioned art project, art workshops
in the three cities, an art project in collaboration with the local Continuation High Schools, and associated
public programs and events (Attachment 1). At the May 10th Heritage & Cultural Arts Commission
meeting, an update on the project was presented to the Commission. This evening, Lynne Baer is here to
present the Art Takes Place proposal to the Council.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the City Council receive the report and
authorize the payment of $30,000 for funding of the Art Takes Place - 3 Cities, 3 Weeks project.
COPY TO: Lynne Baer (DFAF)
Page 1 of 1
ITEM No.M
G:\COUNCIL\Agenda Statements\2007\6-19 Art Takes Place. doc
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Art Takes Place: 3 Cities, 3 Weeks
March 7 - 29, 2008
Introduction
Art Takes Place: 3 Cities, 3 Weeks is a temporary public art project in the Tri-Valley
area centered in Dublin, Pleasanton, and Livermore promoting public awareness and
participation in the arts and defining the area as a diverse, interesting and multifaceted
place to be. It will consist of 3 very different art experiences in all three cities during the
three weeks of the project: a commissioned temporary site-specific art project, Bus
Obscura, and 3 workshops with professional artists, one in each city as well as associated
programs and events occurring around the project.
The goal is to provide opportunities for multi generational groups, including youth, to be
involved in the arts. Further goals are to articulate the diversity and unique qualities of
the people and the environment as well as provide an avenue to express the challenges of
living and working in a dynamic and changing region.
The cities in the Tri-Valley, Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin, San Ramon, and Danville,
have worked cooperatively for the last couple of years through the development and
distribution of a regional art event calendar. This cooperation has led to discussions of
activities and programs that would raise the level of public participation in the arts and
promote the Tri-Valley as a region concerned with the overall quality of life of its
residents. Because of this attention to the quality of life, the region is becoming known as
a haven for the visual and performing arts in California, and a model for others to follow.
Art Takes Place is the vehicle for articulating the challenges of living in the 21 st Century.
Artists, along with community participation, can create artworks that engage and promote
dialogue about the arts and the changes taking place in the Tri-Valley.
The Arts can:
*express growth and diversity
*provide a sense of identity and place
*raise awareness of the built and unbuilt landscape ofthe Tri-Valley
*stimulate community spirit
*encourage discussion and exchange between communities
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ATTACHEMENT 1 (J
Project Description
216
Art Takes Place will consist of commissioned temporary site-specific projects, Bus
Obscura, and 3 workshops with professional artists, one in each city as well as associated
programs and events occurring around the project that will transcend community
boundaries. California Stories; Tri Town Junction, a project involving 2 artists and
students from the three Continuation High Schools will also take place in the Fall
Semester, 2007. Community involvement is an important component of the entire
project.
1. Temporary Site-Specific Art Project
The focus of this project will be the commissioning of lor more highly visible temporary
projects located in the three communities.
Criteria for Selection
. Equal visibility in all communities.
. Focus on regional themes including but not limited to cultural, historical, or the
physical environment.
. Highlight links and interconnectedness of the region.
. Innovation and uniqueness of vision
. Reach new audiences with visual images that cannot be ignored, invite dialogue,
and bring awareness of the Tri-Valley as one region with a diverse population.
Open to all forms of the visual arts appropriate for public spaces including but not
limited to:
. Free Standing Sculptures to be located in each community.
. Large-scale installations located in populated areas such as commercial districts,
sports fields, or civic centers, or open spaces.
. Video or light projections on water towers or building exteriors.
. Images with a common theme created for billboards or banners that appear in all
communities.
. Performance, film, video, poetry or written works involving community
participation.
Selection Process
. A public call for proposals from sculptors, painters, photographers, conceptual,
film and video artists, poets, and writers will be sent out nationally.
. The finalist will be selected on the basis of the proposal to focus on the physical,
historical or character of the Region.
. The Selection Panel will be comprised of nine individuals; two representatives
from each community and three Bay Area arts professionals.
. The Selection Panel will select the temporary project from the submissions
received from the public Call for Proposals. It will be the responsibility of the
. Panel to select an innovative project that will be evenly distributed throughout the
three communities.
2. Bus Obscura
3 ~ 5
Bus Obscura is a passenger bus converted to a multiple aperture camera obscura using a
rear projection technique that allows the individual images to flow into one another. As
the bus moves down the street a 360 degree animated panorama is created inside.
Passengers sit in the seats as usual but instead of looking out on the real scene as it passes
by, they see a real time projection of the same scene. The exterior view from the bus is
projected onto the interior of the bus and the individual apertures create images that
merge into each other and create a real time animated projection of the world outside.
The bus becomes the camera and the projector and the audience sits inside.
The bus, along with a guide, will be available to schools, senior centers, community
groups and events such as Farmers Markets in all 3 of the communities for a 2-3 week
period. Riders will board the bus for a short 10- 15 minute excursion that will be an
amazing ride much like being in the middle of a film. Beyond the visual experience, the
trained guides, students from Las Positas College, will be available to give workshops in
the principals behind the camera obscura.
Bus Obscura is the creation of the artist Simon Lee who currently lives and works in
Brooklyn. Simon has exhibited his photographs and video works extensively in Europe
and America. He has taken the concept of Bus Obscura to six different locations since its
first appearance in Miami Beach, Florida in 2004. It has been in New York City,
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Pittsburgh, London, Kampala, Uganda and Colgate University, Hamilton, New York. Its
appearance here will be its first West Coast venue.
3. Artists Workshops
Bay Area artists will conduct workshops III a different city each weekend - to be
determined
Youth Project: California Stories; Tri-Town Junction
In the Fall Semester, 2007 and as part of Art Takes Place, a collaborative artistic
exchange between artists, Amanda Herman and Katina Papson, and students from three
continuation high schools serving at-risk youth from three continuation high schools:
Valley High School in Dublin, Del Valle and Phoenix High School in Livermore, and
Village High School in Pleasanton will also take place.
The goal of the project is to use shared history to help define a new sense of place for the
youth and the Tri-Valley. The students will research the history of the area during the
California Gold Rush, and identify important stories and historical figures as inspiration
for a film. The project will provide opportunities for partnership across town and cultural
borders (including relationships with the Humanities Department at Las Positas College
and the Tri- Valley community media center) while linking the history of the three
communities to the student's individual and collective experiences. The collaboration
will result in a short narrative film shown in a series of public screenings in the Tri-
Valley and a catalog with an introduction by art critic Glen Helfand. The community
events will bring residents together to experience the history of the area from a unique
and contemporary perspective.
Marketing and PR
The success of Art Takes Place will be measured by the participation of the three
communities and in order for that to happen, a marketing plan needs to be carefully
constructed and implemented. The Steering Committee will engage the services of a
professional in public relations to insure that the marketing and promotion of the project
covers all the various media from printed brochures and posters, newspapers and
magazines, radio and TV to web and email coverage. As part of the marketing, the use of
a self-guided cell phone audio tour will be available. To access the audio guide,
individuals call a dedicated number on their own cell phone, then enter the item number
of an event or project they want to hear about.
Organizational Overview
5~5
Lynne Baer, Consulting Director of The Dublin Fine Arts Foundation, will act as project
manager, coordination of the art projects from distribution of the RFP, the selection
process, and overseeing installation as well as arranging for public programs and the
youth project. A steering committee comprised of representatives from the three
communities will assist in organizing and facilitating the events.
Dublin Fine Arts Foundation
Founded in 1988 as a private, nonprofit organization, the Dublin Fine Arts Foundation
(DFAF) was created by the citizens of Dublin to pursue artistic excellence in all cultural
activities, support local artists of all ages by broadening the awareness and appreciation
of the fine arts, enhance and enrich the everyday lives of the citizens, educate all citizens
in appreciation and participation, and integrate art into the public spaces of the
community.
In the past, DFAF has provided artists for "Art in the Schools", created a Dublin
Sculpture Park for the Civic Center, placed art in all of Dublin's community and
neighborhood parks through its "Art in the Parks" program as well as placing temporary
exhibitions and installations throughout the community. In its short lifetime, DF AF has
commissioned permanent artworks for the city with a total value of over $750,000. and
has been able to place works on loan valued at $500,000. in the city with the help of
foundations such as the Tri-Valley Community Foundation, Creative Work Fund, and
Alameda County Art Commission and local businesses and individuals.
Tentative Budget:
Art Projects: Bus Obscura:
Workshops:
Temporary Project:
20,000.
5,000.
25,000.
50,000.
Youth Project:
30,000.
Marketing and PR:
10,000.
Administration:
10,000.
Total budget: $100,000.