DEPARTMENT: Department of Arts and Culture
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Debbie Racca-Sittre
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: All Council Districts
SUBJECT:
Acceptance of Donated Bronze Statues from Tricentennial Commission
SUMMARY:
This ordinance will authorize the execution of a donation agreement between the City of San Antonio, The San Antonio Tricentennial Celebration Commission, and Sculpture Trail LLC. This agreement provides that Sculpture Trail LLC will convey to the City eight (8) bronze statues of historically significant individuals who contributed to San Antonio, and install a total of fourteen (14) statues as part of the City’s Tricentennial celebrations in 2018.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
In 2001, the City of San Antonio accepted seventeen (17) bronze statues donated by Sea World of Texas, known as the “Texas Walk”. Sixteen of these statues are currently displayed inside the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. The seventeenth donated statue depicts the convention center’s namesake, Henry B. Gonzalez, and is located at the facility’s entrance.
A concept to install a trail of historic bronze statues on City property between the Briscoe Western Art Museum and Alamo Plaza has been proposed by local philanthropist, Jack Guenther, as part of celebrating San Antonio’s Tricentennial. The trail would relocate six (6) of the City-owned statues from the convention center and would install eight (8) new commissioned bronze statues. Private donations facilitated by Mr. Guenther will be made to the San Antonio Tricentennial Celebration Commission to cover the cost of commissioning new bronzes, as well as all installation expenses.
Sculpture Trail LLC will be responsible for contracting with sculptors, installers and adhering to a placement plan that is approved by the City. Sculpture Trail LLC is a wholly owned, tax exempt subsidiary of the Briscoe Western Art Museum with its sole purpose to facilitate the completion of the Trail. Statue locations will go through a design review process for approval and will ensure proper coordination with Alamo Plaza master planning efforts. Statues will be designed to facilitate relocation as deemed necessary by the City to allow for future changes downtown. Additionally, Sculpture Trail LLC will provide maintenance for all fourteen sculptures for a 3-year period, as provided for in the Donation Agreement.
ISSUE:
This action is part of coordinated efforts to organize and deliver projects associated with the City’s Tricentennial Celebration in 2018. Authorization of the donation agreement is needed to meet timelines for donations, create new statues, and to plan and approve placement. As a part of the agreement, donors will provide funding to the Tricentennial Commission which will contract with Sculpture Trail LLC for the commissioning of the sculptors and installation of the statues.
Once installed, City of San Antonio will accept the bronzes in its collection of historical sculptures. The City’s Office of Historic Preservation will provide a historical interpretation of the figures and their significance to San Antonio. The Department of Arts & Culture will coordinate with Sculpture Trial LLC to install the bronzes and provide maintenance.
ALTERNATIVES:
City Council could choose to not approve the donation agreement which accepts all eight donated bronzes in one action. Instead, City Council could authorize each bronze statue donation individually which would adversely affect the fundraising ability of the donor. This method will increase the number of City Council actions and overall time before all contracts are considered by City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The FY 2017 Tricentennial Operating Budget includes $100,000 to support the placement and technology-based interface for historical interpretation. Costs associated with commissioning new bronze statues and all installation expenses will be provided by private donation to The San Antonio Tricentennial Celebration Commission, and are estimated to be approximately $1,200,000. Any donations in excess of those needed for the commissioning and installation of statues will be utilized for future maintenance costs of all 14 bronzes, which are estimated at approximately $10,000 per year beginning in FY 2019.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the acceptance of the donation of historical figurative bronze statues. The San Antonio Arts Commission’s Public Art Committee recommended approval of the concept on May 3, 2016.