DEPARTMENT: Department for Culture and Creative Development
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Felix N. Padrón
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: All
SUBJECT: Approving a Pre-Qualified List of Public Artists
SUMMARY:
This ordinance approves a pre-qualified list of public artists whose services may be used to implement public art projects established by the public art plan in an amount not-to-exceed the eligible allocation. This ordinance also authorizes contracts and payments subject to the availability of funds.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The Department for Culture and Creative Development (DCCD) advertised a Call for Artists as part of an annual process to update the City’s pre-qualified artist list, first established as the Capital Projects Artist Pool in October 2012. Each subsequent year, City Council has updated this pool of artists based upon recommendations that are a result from a pre-qualification process. In 2016, 161 total submittals were received nationally, which were reviewed and scored by an ad-hoc selection panel that recommended a total of 57 applicants for consideration by the City’s San Antonio Arts Commission, including 8 from Texas, and 18 from San Antonio. Qualifications were reviewed and scored in the categories of public artist, art inventory services, and collaborative partners. The selection panel included representatives from the San Antonio Arts Commission, as well as local and state art professionals and City staff. The pre-qualified roster authorizes artists to be considered for projects included in the annual public art plan. Inclusion in the pre-qualified list does not guarantee a contracting opportunity. Final selections for projects are a result of close coordination with City departments and project stakeholders, including but not limited to representatives from City Council appointed advisory committees, community members and local art professionals. Final artist selections are recommended by the San Antonio Arts Commission. Additionally, a list of artworks that have been loaned to the city for temporary exhibition at City facilities will be considered eligible for acquisition at the end of the loan period, subject to the availability of funds.
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 artists through the Capital Projects Artist Pool. Recommended public artists result from an open-call, competitive process, and are authorized to the list for a period of two years. Eligible appropriations may be used for design services of artists, for the selection, acquisition, fabrication, installation, conservation, and display of artworks, and for administration of projects.
ALTERNATIVES:
Approving the recommended pre-qualified artist list will allow for the negotiation and execution of public art contracts in one action, significantly reducing the total number of City Council actions and allowing staff to continue moving forward with the public art program efficiently. If City Council prefers to authorize only the recommended artists for negotiations at this time, staff can proceed with negotiating and bring contracts back for authorization at a later date. This method will increase the number of City Council actions and overall time before all contracts are considered by City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ordinance approves a pre-qualified list of public art professionals whose services may be used to implement public art projects established by the public art plan in an amount not-to-exceed the eligible allocation. A list of artworks that have been loaned to the City for temporary exhibitions at City facilities will be considered eligible for acquisition at the end of the loan period, subject to the availability of funds. Funds are not encumbered by this ordinance.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff and the San Antonio Arts Commission recommend approval.