Division: Public Art San Antonio
Manager: James LeFlore
Council District Impact(S): Citywide
Subject: 2016 Call for Public Art Qualifications
ACTION tYPE: Approval of Pre-Qualified List
Summary:
This item is to approve the recommended 57 applicants to the pre-qualified list from the 2016 Call for Public Art Qualifications.
Background Information:
City Council established a Pre-Qualified List in October of 2012. The FY2016 Call for Public Art Qualifications is the fourth year the Department for Culture and Creative Development has conducted a national call for artists to review qualifications. The 2016 Call for Public Art Qualifications was open for six weeks, from September 11, 2015 to October 23, 2015. A selection panel of seven panelists: Rene Barilleaux, San Antonio Arts Commission; Suhail Arastu, San Antonio Arts Commission; Jimmy LeFlore, Public Art San Antonio; Meghan Wells, Austin Art in Public Places; Kathy Armstrong, Luminaria; Emily Bowe, Weston Urban; and Dwayne Bohuslav, San Antonio College. The selection panel met to evaluate, score and recommend applicants for additions to the 2016 Pre-Qualified List. The selection panel recommended 57 additions to the City’s Pre-Qualified List. The recommended 57 applicants to the City’s Pre-Qualified List will increase the pre-qualified list to 146 (109 public artists, 27 art inventory services and 10 collaborative partners). Selected applicants will be eligible for two years, although pre-qualification does not guarantee a public art contract.
Issue:
The City of San Antonio’s public art ordinance, approved by City Council in 2011, creates an overall balance in public art throughout the City by designating funds for public art services. In 2012, voters approved public art to be included as part of the 2012-2017 Bond Program and City Council adopted a public art plan and authorized the process to pre-qualify applicants through the ‘Public Art Pre-Qualified List’. Recommended applicants result from an open-call, competitive process, and are authorized to the list for a period of two years.
Alternatives:
Approval of the recommended 57 applicants will send this item to the San Antonio Arts Commission for consideration and approval before going to City Council for authorization.
Fiscal Impact:
All City funds for this action were approved in the 2012-2017 Capital Improvement Bond.
Recommendation:
Staff recommends the addition of 57 applicants to the pre-qualified list.
RELATED ACTION INCLUDES:
Pre-Qualified List established in October 2012.
Public Art Pre-Qualified List last updated April 2015.
Briefings on the 2016 Call for Public Art Qualifications were presented to the Public Art Committee and Arts Commission in October 2015 as well as a status update to Public Art Committee in November 2015.
This item was presented to the Public Art Committee on December 4th to approve the selection panel recommendations. A motion to approve did not pass with a 3-1 vote, failing to reach a majority of at least 4 votes.