Title
Municipal Art Project Status Report
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
The Arts Commission recommends three projects be approved and forwarded on to Council for approval.
City Manager Recommendation:
Receive the status report. Then move to approve the recommendations of the Arts Commission and forward to Council for approval.
Report
Issue:
Whether to receive the status report with recommendation to move forward three projects currently on the Arts Commission workplan.
Staff Contact:
Stephanie Johnson, Arts Program Manager, Parks, Arts & Recreation, 360.709.2678.
Presenter(s):
Stephanie Johnson, Arts Program Manager
Marygrace Jennings, Chair, Olympia Arts Commission
Diana Fairbanks, Chair, Art in Public Place Committee of the Olympia Arts Commission
Background and Analysis:
The Arts Commission requests approval to move forward on the following projects. General Government has been formerly briefed on the first three, and so discussion will cover progress made since the last visit. Related files attached for additional background.
1) Music Out Loud
Recommendation: Budget approval*.
*City Manager recommends approval provided the project budget can be significantly reduced.
March 24, 2016, 5p.m. was the deadline for request for response for the lithomosaic fabrication and installation component of the Music Out Loud project. Because the project requires a level of aesthetic finishing not typical to public works (structural) projects, the request was put out as an RFP. The City received one response, from Belarde Company, which has been the sole lithocrete licensee in the Pacific Northwest since 2007. The bid was for $77,732.16. Because the bid was so much higher than anticipated ($37,800 for the entire project), City staff contacted Belarde Company to determine what caused the difference in price. The company responded that there had been some uncertainty in the sequencing of the three sites, and because they were bidding in advance of having the designs. Knowing that the mosaics could be installed simultaneously, that adjacent parking was available at all sites, and that mosaic materials selection would be kept mid-range, could bring the costs down by as much as 33%. These changes would be reflected in a reverse change-order table within the contract.
The Arts Commission recommends the expenditure of up to $83,732.16 for fabrication and installation of three Music Out Loud lithomosaics (includes artist fees of $6,000).
See Association: Commission staff reports.
See Attachment: Updated Municipal Art Fund budget sheet.
2) Gateways
Recommendation: To move forward on RFQ.
Since the General Government meeting January 29, Commissioners have met with members of the Planning Commission on several occasions to work together to refine the RFQ for the Gateways Public Art master plan. In moving forward, the Arts Commission will take a lead role, and coordinate with the Planning Commission to work together through the RFQ and master plan development. Commissioners have also met with the Coalition of Neighborhood Associations and the full Planning Commission to address questions and vet the project. Those meetings have resulted in a list of speaking points as attached, which have been reviewed by Arts Commissioners and the Planning Commission liaison to the Arts Commission for consistency in describing the project. These speaking points will be presented to the full Planning Commission on June 20.
See Attachments: Gateways speaking points
Updated Gateways RFQ Scope
3) Temporary Art at City Hall
Recommendation: Policy review and approval.
The attached draft policy outlines a program to bring 2 exhibitions a year of loaned artwork into City Hall. The proposal is to put out an RFP for a curator, or exhibition coordinator. Applicants would submit proposals for a group show that would be reviewed by a panel of City Hall staff, Arts Commission members and a citizen at large. Commissioner Diana Fairbanks has led this process, speaking with municipal and educational gallery/exhibition space coordinators.
See Attachments: Temporary Art policy
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
Not know. Community involvement has and/or will continue to be sought for each of these projects.
Options:
1) Move to approve the recommendations of the Arts Commission and forward to Council for approval.
2) Move to not approve recommendations of the Arts Commission and forward to Council for approval.
3) Move to address each item independently, and forward to Council for approval, or not, and provide feedback to the Arts Commission
Financial Impact:
See attached Municipal Art Plan budget sheet.
Attachments:
Updated Municipal Art Fund budget sheet
Gateways Speaking Points
Updated Gateways RFQ - Scope of Work
Temporary Art Exhibition Policy