Title
Approval of Call for Art for the Olympia Art Crossings Public Art Project
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
The General Government Committee reviewed and recommended approval of the Olympia Art Crossings Call for Art.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to approve the first Call for Art within the Olympia Crossings Public Art Project (one of eight projects).
Report
Issue:
Whether to authorize staff to proceed with the first Call for Art within the Olympia Crossings Public Art Project (one of eight).
Staff Contact:
Stephanie Johnson, Arts Program Manager, 360.709.2678
Presenter(s):
Stephanie Johnson, Arts Commission Staff Liaison
Stacy Hicks, Chair, Olympia Arts Commission
Background and Analysis:
On October 24, 2017, City Council approved the public art plan Olympia Crossings: An Art Plan for City Gateways.
Since that time, staff and the Arts Commission have worked closely with NWONA (Northwest Olympia Neighborhood Association) to develop the Call for Art for the first Olympia Crossing on West Bay Drive at the base of the Woodard Avenue trail. NWONA was very involved with the Master Plan process, and NWONA President Kendra Sawyer is on the jury to recommend the artist for the project.
The General Government Committee reviewed this Call for Art on June 21, 2018, and recommended it to City Council for approval.
As staff and the Arts Commission work through this initial project, the process and materials will become the template for all 8 projects. Some of the key elements include:
• Initial conversation with interested Neighborhood Association(s) to develop the Call for Art for that Crossing location
• Participation by a Neighborhood Association representative on the initial jury
• A two-part application process with an RFQ followed by finalist interviews
• Focus on local artists, with support provided by a pre-submission workshop and proposal review (with the selected artist) with the City’s on-call landscape architect.
If this Call for Art is approved, the process for selecting an artist follows:
Artist Selection Schedule
Call for Art open
Workshop for interested applicants
Deadline for Entry
Jury Process
Arts Commission review
Finalist interviews
Arts Commission review
City Council approval
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
NWONA and West Bay Neighborhood Association have been involved and/or informed in the Olympia Art Crossings Project since the Master Plan. Both associations have been invited to participate in the design process with the selected artist.
Options:
1. Move to approve the Olympia Art Crossings Call for Art.
2. Move to approve the Call for Art as modified by the City Council.
3. Do not approve the Call for Art.
Financial Impact:
$50,000 for artwork design and fabrication and up to $25,000 for installation from the Municipal Art Fund.
Attachments:
Call for Public Art: West Bay Drive Art Crossing
Olympia Crossings: An Art Plan for City Gateways
Funding table from the 2018 Municipal Art Plan