HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 7.1 Public Art Selection ProcessSTAFF REPORT
DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL
DATE: January 19, 2010
TO: Honorable Mayor and City C%aU"%lmembers
FROM: Joni Pattillo, City Manager
CITY CLERK
File # 091161a-[]®
SUBJECT: Public Art Selection Process
Prepared By: John Hartnett, Heritage and Cultural Arts Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The City Council will receive a report on the Artist Selection Process and Methods of Artist
Selection for Public Art Projects within the City of Dublin.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
None.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council receive the report.
Submitted by:
Parks and Community Services Director
Reviewed by:
Assistant City Manager
Page 1 of 2 ITEM NO.
C 0V
DESCRIPTION:
At the August 18, 2009 City Council meeting, during the Transit Center Public Art presentation,
the City Council noted that there seemed to be inconsistencies in how Staff administered the
artist selection process for public art projects. The City Council asked Staff to review the artist
selection processes with the Heritage and Cultural Arts Commission to determine if standard
processes could be established. In particular, the City Council expressed a desire to have the
artist selection process be as transparent as possible, with elected and appointed officials,
stakeholders and the public having an opportunity to view art designs and learn about potential
artists during the selection process.
In March 20061 the City of Dublin Public Art Master Plan was adopted by the City Council. The
Master Plan establishes processes (Artist Selection Process) and methods (Methods for Artist
Selection) for selecting artists for public art projects within the City of Dublin.
The Artist Selection Process, as outlined in the Public Art Master Plan, includes goals for the
selection process as well as requirements that the artist needs to meet in order to be selected.
Regarding Methods of Artist Selection, the Public Art Master Plan identifies four methods that
may be used depending upon the requirements of a particular project. These include: Open
Competition; Limited or Invitational Competition; Pre -qualified Artists List; or Mixed Process.
Staff has included pages 10 and 11 of the Public Art Master Plan which explains the Artist
Selection Process and Methods of Artist Selection in further detail (Attachment 1).
At its October 8, 2009 and December 20, 2009 meetings, the Heritage and Cultural Arts
Commission reviewed the Artist Selection Process and Methods of Artist Selection as contained
in the Public Art Master Plan. Staff has included the minutes of both meetings (Attachment 2).
After review and discussion, the Commission determined that no modifications are necessary to
the processes and methods for selecting artists for public art projects. The Commission did
concur with Staff's recommendation that for future public art projects, the method of selection
shall be determined by Staff in consultation with the Heritage and Cultural Arts Commission in
accordance with Page 10 of the Public Art Master Plan.
NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH:
A copy of the Staff Report was distributed to the Heritage and Cultural Arts Commission.
ATTACHMENTS: 1. Public Art Master Plan —Pages 10-11
2. Heritage and Cultural Arts Commission Minutes —Adopted
October 8, 2009; Draft December 20, 2009
Page 2 of 2
Artist Selection Process
Selecting the "right" artist — one whose
experience, artistic style, commitment to
collaboration, communication and facilitation
skills matches the needs of the project — is
critical to the success of any project.
Specifically, the goals of the selection process
are to:
• Implement the goals of the overall capital
improvement program through an
appropriate artist selection;
• Further the mission and goals of the Public
Art Program;
• Select an artist or artists whose existing
public artworks or past collaborative
efforts have maintained a level of quality
and integrity;
• Identify the optimal approach to public art
that is suitable to the demands of the
particular capital project;
• Select an artist or artists who will best
respond to the distinctive characteristics of
the site and the community it serves;
• Select an artist or artists who can work
successfully as members of an overall
project design team; and
• Ensure that the selection process represents
and considers the interests of all parties
concerned, including the public, the arts
community and the City department
involved.
In consideration of selection of an artist for a
City Public Art project, certain requirements
of the artist will need to be met. These
requirements include:
• Submit credentials, visuals, proposals
and/or project materials as directed for
consideration by artist selection panels;
• Conduct necessary research, including
attending project orientation meetings and
touring project sites, when possible;
City of Dublin
Public Art Master Plan
• If selected, execute and complete the
artwork, conceptual work or design work,
or transfer an existing work, in a timely
and professional manner;
• Work closely with Heritage and Cultural
Arts Supervisor, the project manager,
design architect and/or other design
professionals associated with the project;
• Make presentations to City Council, the
Heritage and Cultural Arts Commission
and other reviewing bodies at project
milestones as required by contract; and
• Make public presentations, conduct
community education workshops, or do a
residency at an appropriate time and forum
in the community where the artwork will
be placed, as required by contract.
Methods of Artist Selection
The method of selection for individual projects
shall be determined by City Staff in
consultation with the Heritage and Cultural
Arts Commission in accordance with the
adopted Public Art Program guidelines and
policies. Any of the following methods may be
used, depending upon the requirements of a
particular project.
Open Competition: An open competition is a
call for artists for a specific project in which
artists are asked to submit evidence of their
past work. Any artist may submit credentials
and/or proposals, subject to any limitations
established by the Artist Selection Panel. Calls
for entries for open competitions will be
sufficiently detailed to permit artists to
determine whether their work is appropriate
for the project under consideration.
Limited or Invitational Competition: A limited
number of artists shall be invited by the artist
selection panel to submit credentials and/or
proposals for a specific project. Artists shall be
invited, based on their past work and
March 2006
Page 10 of 23
�, l 1-19-10
ATTACHMENT 1
aefq
demonstrated ability to successfully respond to
the conditions posed by the particular project
(i.e., water features, light works, paintings,
sound works, landscape works, design team
efforts, etc.), or based on other non -aesthetic
Public Art Program goals (i.e., artists who
reside in a particular neighborhood where a
project is occurring, local artists or regional
artists, etc.).
Pre -qualified Artists List: Heritage and
Cultural Arts Staff will develop a pool of pre -
qualified artists who can be selected for small,
community -based projects with budgets under
$25,000, where a separate selection panel may
not be warranted, if recommended by the
Heritage and Cultural Arts Commission,
Mixed Process: A mixed process may include
any combination of the above means.
Criteria for Selection of Artists or Artworks
• Qualifications: Artists shall be selected
based on their qualifications as
demonstrated by past work and the
appropriateness of their concepts to the
particular project.
• Quality: Of highest priority are the design
capabilities of the artist and the inherent
quality of artwork.
• Media: All forms of visual arts shall be
considered, subject to any requirements set
forth by the project prospectus.
• Style: Artists whose artworks are
representative of all schools, styles and
tastes shall be considered.
• Appropriateness to Site: Artwork designs
shall be appropriate in scale, material, form
and content to their immediate social and
physical environments.
• Appropriateness to Public Art Program
Goals: Artworks should address, or artists
should be willing to address within their
process, a commitment to enhancing public
City of Dublin
Public Art Master Plan
spaces and giving character to
neighborhoods by supporting the larger
urban design themes of the neighborhood
or district.
• Permanence: Consideration shall be given
to structural and surface integrity,
permanence and protection of the proposed
artwork against theft, vandalism,
weathering, excessive maintenance and
repair costs.
• Elements of Design: Consideration shall be
given to the fact that public art is a genre
that is created in a public context and that
must be judged by standards that include
factors in addition to the aesthetic. Public
art may also serve to establish focal points;
terminate areas; modify, enhance or define
specific spaces; establish identity; or
address specific issues of urban design.
• Community Values: While free artistic
expression shall be encouraged,
consideration must be given to the
appropriateness of artworks in the context
of local community and social values.
• Public Liability: Safety conditions or
factors that may bear on public liability
must be considered in selecting an artist or
artwork.
• Diversity: The Public Art Program shall
strive for diversity of style, scale, media
and artists, including ethnicity and gender
of artists selected.
• Communications: The ability of the artist
to effectively communicate with a variety
of groups, including other design
professionals, public officials and
community members, should be taken into
consideration.
"Dust in the Unive�•se" by John King (2000)
March 2006
Page 11 of 23
CITY OF DUBLIN
HERITAGE AND CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION
Minutes
October 8, 2009
The October 8, 2009 meeting of the Heritage and Cultural Arts Commission was called to order at 7:05
p.m. at the Dublin Civic Center, Dublin, California, by Chair Carr.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Chair Carr led the Pledge of Allegiance.
ROLL CALL
Commissioners (Cm.) Present: Carr, Halket, Mack, Minniear, Nuckols, Tutino, Vonheeder-Leopold
Commissioners Absent: None
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS —None
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
On a motion by Cm. Vonheeder-Leopold, seconded by Cm. Mack, and by a vote of 6-0-1, with Cm.
Tutino abstaining, the Commission voted to approve the minutes of September 10, 2009, as presented.
Cm. Tutino abstained from the vote due to her absence during the September 10, 2009 meeting.
WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS -None
PUBLIC HEARING -None
UNFINISHED BUSINESS —None
NEW BUSINESS
8.1 MUSEUM ASSESSMENT PROGRAM REPORT
Ms. Elizabeth Isles, Heritage Center Director, presented the specifics of the item as outlined in the Staff
Report.
Chair Carr asked if the City is required to pay the costs of the Museum Assessment Program. Ms. Isles
explained that the City pays a small portion of the program for each Phase which is a $300 fee. Chair Carr
asked if Staff would update the Commission on the outcome of the assessment. Ms. Isles stated that she
would provide a full report to the Commission on the outcome of the assessment.
Vice Chair Halket asked about Phase II of the Program. Ms. Isles explained that Phase II deals with the
public's perception of the museum and Heritage Center programs and services.
Cm. Macic asked if interested organized groups could be involved in the program. Ms. Isles stated that
interested organized groups could be invited to the November 22, 2009 stakeholders meeting to provide
input. She further stated that a community survey would be conducted to elicit feedback from the
community.
ATTACHMENT 2
H&CAC Minutes — October 8, 2009
Page 2 of 3
0
Cm. Vonheeder-Leopold asked about the total number of phases in the program. Ms. Isles explained that
there are four phases of the program.
in. Nuckols asked if the future completion of new parks or buildings would require Phase I of Lite
program to be repeated. Ms. Isles explained that Phase I would not have to be repeated because that phase
dealt with the governance, organizational and administrative aspects of the program.
Cm. Minniear asked about Phases III and IV. Ms. Isles explained that Phase III deals with collections
management and Phase IV deals with additional detail on governance.
The Commission received the report.
8.2 PUBLIC ART SELECTION PROCESS
Mr. John Hartnett, Heritage and Cultural Arts Manager, presented the specifics of the item as outlined in
the Staff Report.
Cm. Mack asked about the selection process used for the Dublin Transit Center public art project. Mr.
Hartnett explained that the method used for this project is an acceptable method, based on the Public Art
Master Plan, although it was an exception to the frequently -used methods.
Cm. Vonheeder-Leopold gave a brief history of the Public Art Selection process based on her own
experience. She stated that she was concerned about the selection method used for the Dublin Transit
Center because of the enormous visibility of the artwork. Mr. Hartnett informed the Commission that on
October 24, the artist for the Dublin Transit Center public artwork would be doing a site -walk of the
project area and a public presentation to discuss issues related to how he selects public art and the history
of his art projects.
Cm. Minniear suggested creating criteria for how and when to choose the public art selection method for
each public an project. Mr. Hartnett stated that he would bring a report to the Commission outlining
suggested criteria.
Chair Carr asked if the artist for the Dublin Transit Center would provide a maquette of the artwork. Mr.
Hartnett explained that the artist will have the option of providing a CAD drawing or a maquette of the
artwork. He further explained that the artwork design would be presented before the Art Selection
Committee, at a City -sponsored public reception and subsequent comment period, the Heritage and
Cultural Arts Commission, and then the City Council.
On motion by Cm. Vonheeder-Leopold, seconded by Cm. Mack, and by a vote of 7-0-0, the Commission
voted to recommend to the City Council the Artist Selection Process and Methods of Artist Selection as
outlined in the Public Art Master Plan be reviewed with a request for Staff to prepare criteria by which to
determine the selection method for choosing an artist.
9.1 OTHER BUSINESS
Cm. Minniear reported that he appreciates working with consultant on the Oral History project.
Cm. Vonheeder-Leopold reported that she attended a meeting at the Livermore Area Recreation &Park
District.
H&CAC Minutes — October 8, 2009
Page 3 of 3
Mr. Hartnett and Ms. Isles informed the Commission of upcoming events.
ADJOURNMENT
Being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:47 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Rhonda Franklin
Administrative Technician
APPROVED:
Chairperson
CITY OF DUBLIN
HERITAGE AND CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION
Draft Minutes
December 10, 2009
The December 10, 2009 meeting of the Heritage and Cultural Arts Commission was called to order at
7:00 p.m. at the Dublin Civic Center, Dublin, California, by Chair Carr.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Chair Carr led the Pledge of Allegiance.
ROLL CALL
Commissioners (Cm.) Present: Carr, Halket, Mack, Minniear, Nuckols, Tutino, Vonheeder-Leopold
Commissioners Absent: None
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS —None
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
On a motion by Cm. Vonheeder-Leopold, seconded by Cm. Mack, and by
Commission voted to approve the minutes of November 12, 2009, as presente
abstained from the vote due to her absence during the November 12, 2009 meeting.
WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS -None
PUBLIC HEARING -None
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
d.
a vote of 6-0-1, the
Vice Chair Halket
7.1 DUBLIN TRANSIT CENTER PUBLIC ART PROJECT -UPDATE
Mr. John Hartnett, Heritage and Cultural Arts Manager, presented the specifics of the item as outlined in
the Staff Report.
Cm. Mack asked if there would be some continuity between the artworks if different artists were utilized
for each artwork. Mr. Hartnett explained that the Avalon Bay Development team has agreed to consider
and complement the proposed BART Station artwork if a different artist is used for the proposed artwork
for the median strip adjacent to Campbell Green.
Cm. Minniear asked about Staff s recommendation number two of the Staff Report. Mr. Hartnett
explained that recommendation number two would require the artwork contribution to be stipulated as a
condition in the Avalon Bay Site Development Review done in conjunction with the Planning
Department.
Cm. Vonheeder-Leopold asked if the Avalon Bay Development team would be providing the artwork or
the money for the artwork. Mr. Hartnett explained that Avalon Bay Development would be providing the
artwork at a value of $50,000.
Draft H&CAC Minutes — December 10, 2009
Page 2 of 4
On a motion by Cm. Minmear, seconded by Cm. Mack, and by a vote of 7-0-0, the Commission
unanimously voted to recommend to the City Council to: 1) Accept offer from Avalon Bay Development
to contribute $50,000 for artwork for the median strip adjacent to Campbell Green; 2) Direct Staff to
include conditions related to the artwork contribution in the Development Agreement for the Avalon Bay
Site C project; and 3) Prepare an amendment to the Agreement with artist Cliff Garten to delete the
requirement to prepare a design for the median strip adjacent to Campbell Green.
7.2 PUBLIC ART -ARTIST SELECTION CRITERIA
Mr. John Hartnett, Heritage and Cultural Arts Manager, presented the specifics of the item as outlined in
the Staff Report.
Cm. Minniear indicated that the Public Art Master Plan does not seem to include clear definitions of
criteria upon which the method of artist selection is based. Mr. Hartnett explained that the criteria for
artist selection and various processes for an art project are always based on the specific elements of a
project and need to remain flexible. He further explained that, in the future, Staff recommends that such
determinants for any public art project should be brought before the Commission for its input, discussion
and approval before a method of artist selection is chosen.
Cm. Vonheeder-Leopold suggested that copies of the Public Art Master Plan be made available to the
newer members of the City Council. Mr. Hartnett stated that he would make sure the Council has copies,
and would inform the City Council of the process for choosing a method of artist selection as discussed
with the Commission.
NEW BUSINESS
8.1 HERITAGE AND CULTURAL ARTS GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Mr. John Hartnett, Heritage and Cultural Arts Manager, presented the specifics of the item as outlined in
the Staff Report.
Cm. Minniear asked why FY 2010-2011 preliminary objective number one was included when the
funding and the artist have already been identified. Mr. Hartnett explained that the objective is being
carried over because it has an anticipated completion date in FY 2010-2011.
Cm. Minniear asked about the total number of phases in the Museum Assessment Program (MAP). Ms.
Elizabeth Isles, Heritage Center Director, stated that there are four phases in the MAP.
Cm. Mack asked about the costs associated with the MAP, and Ms. Isles explained that after grants, the
City pays $350 for the program.
Cm. Nucicols asked if the Dublin Historic Park facilities that are currently under construction would be
included in the cunent and future MAP processes, and Ms. Isles said yes.
Cm. Vonheeder-Leopold provided information on the current status of the Camp Parks History Center,
The Commission rated the FY 2010-2011 Preliminary Goals &Objectives using a rating system of High
Draft H&CAC Minutes —December 10, 2009
Page 3 of 4
CM4
Objective
Minniear
Tutino
Nuckols
Vonheeder-
Leopold
Carr
Halket
Mack
1.
High
High
High
High
High
High
High
2.
High
High
High
High
High
High
High
3.
High
High
High
High
High
High
High
4.
Medium
High
Medium
Medium
High
High
High
5.
High
High
High
High
High
High
High
6.
Medium
Medium
Medium
Medium
Low
Low
Medium
7.
High
Medium
Medium
Medium
Medium
Medium
High
8.
Delete
Delete
Delete
Delete
Delete
Delete
Delete
9.
Delete
Delete
Delete
Delete
Delete
Delete
Delete
Cm. Minniear added an objective to "Continue to obtain and preserve the oral history of Dublin seniors
and long time residents" with a completion date of June 2011. The Commissioners rated the additional
objective as follows:
10. Hi h Hi h High High Hi h High Hi h
Cm. Nuckols added an objective to "Sponsor aphotography/art competition and encourage amateur
participation." The Commissioners rated the additional objective as follows:
11. Hi h High High Hi h Hi High High
On a motion by Cm. Minniear, seconded by Cm. Vonheeder-Leopold, and by a vote 7-0-0, the
Commission unanimously voted to recommend to the City Council approval of the 2010-2011 Preliminary
Goals & Objectives, including the two additional objectives (numbers 10 and 11), as rated by the
Commission in the tables above.
9.1 OTHER BUSINESS
Cm. Mack reported that the Black History program for next year would be held at the Valley Christian
Center on February 6, 2010.
Cm. Vonheeder-Leopold gave Cm. Tutino six CDs entitled "Discovering Dublin —The History of Dublin"
for use in the Dublin Unified School District third grade classrooms. The CDs contain the history of
Dublin from the Native American's arrival to the City's incorporation in the 1980s.
Cm. Tutino reported on the progress of achieving curriculum on the history of Dublin for Dublin Unified
School District third graders.
Cm. Minniear reported on the progress of the Oral History project.
Mr. Hartnett informed the Commission of the upcoming Bay Bells concert.
Ms. Isles informed the Commission of upcoming events at the Dublin Heritage Center.
Draft H&CAC Minutes — December 10, 2009
Page 4 of 4
ADJOURNMENT
Being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:20 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Rhonda Franklin
Administrative Technician
APPROVED:
Chairperson