DEPARTMENT: Department of Arts & Culture
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Debbie Racca-Sittre
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: All
Consideration of the following ordinances related to Public Art: (A) Approving a Pre-Qualified List of Public Art Professionals to be available for selection by the San Antonio Arts Commission and/or contracting through the Department of Arts & Culture for projects that have available funding; and (B) Authorizing the submittal of, and acceptance upon award, of a 2018 Public Art Challenge grant application to Bloomberg Philanthropies, in an amount not to exceed $1,000,000 for two years beginning late 2018, including up to $2,000,000 in 2017 Bond Funds as match.
SUMMARY:
A) 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. This ordinance also authorizes contracts and payments subject to the availability of funds.
B) This ordinance authorizes the submittal of, and acceptance upon award, of a 2018 Public Art Challenge grant application to Bloomberg Philanthropies, in an amount not to exceed $1,000,000 for two years beginning late 2018, including up to $2,000,000 in 2017 Bond Funds as match.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The Cul-TÚ-Art Plan is a coordinated planning document that will be used to guide the City of San Antonio’s investments in the arts to provide equitable opportunities that encourage San Antonio’s arts community, residents, and visitors to thrive in a culturally inclusive environment that celebrates San Antonio’s identity.
There are six components to the Cul-TÚ-Art Plan: Film, Centro De Artes, Arts Funding, Music, Cultural Districts, and Public Art. The public outreach for the Cul-TU-Art Plan was extensive and included a Community Wide Survey, seven public meetings, stakeholder briefings, and meetings with each Councilmember. The most recent component of the Plan to be completed was the Public Art Strategy.
The San Antonio Arts Commission and Curatorial Committee served as the Steering Committee for the Strategy with policy direction from the Arts, Culture, and Heritage Council Committee. Additionally, the City benchmarked other cities to include Houston, Dallas, San Diego, Austin, Phoenix, and Chicago. The Public Art Strategy:
1. Enhances existing art policies and streamlines processes;
2. Improves the public art development process by prioritizing community input and expanding the artist selection process to provide more flexibility; and
3. Proposes neighborhood projects and signature projects that are in line with the survey and community.
ISSUE:
City Council is being asked to approve two actions necessary to implement the Public Art Strategy. The first action is a request for approval of the 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. The second action is requesting approval to submit a grant application to Bloomberg Philanthropies.
Pre-Qualified List
The Department of Arts & Culture issued an Open Call for Artists as part of competitive and curated process to update the City’s pre-qualified list of Public Art Professionals. This year, nearly 300 submittals were reviewed and scored in the categories of public artist, public art support services, and collaborative partners. In March, the San Antonio Arts Commission approved a list of 195 recommended public art professionals based on the open competition process and recommendations of the Commission’s Curatorial Advisory Committee.
The City may contract with the artists for design services, selection, acquisition, fabrication, installation, conservation, and display of artworks. 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, community members, local art professionals and the Public Art Committee of the San Antonio Arts Commission. Final artist selections and projects are reviewed and approved by the San Antonio Arts Commission.
Bloomberg Public Art Challenge Grant
The Department of Arts and Culture is seeking authorization to submit a Public Art
Challenge grant application, and authorize the acceptance of funds if awarded, from Bloomberg Philanthropies. Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Public Art Challenge is a component of the American Cities Initiative, which helps U.S. cities generate innovation and advance policy. The Public Art Challenge encourages cities to partner with artists to access the value of the creative sector in developing solutions to significant urban issues. The program supports temporary public art projects that celebrate creativity, enhance urban identity, encourage public-private collaborations, and strengthen local economies.
The Department of Arts and Culture proposes to partner with San Antonio River Authority, Luminaria, and other artists and arts non-profits, to implement a program of temporary, pop-up activations, and festivals to engage and connect neighborhoods in all ten City Council Districts with the San Antonio river downtown. The goal of the program is to create a respectful, yet celebratory, connection between the community and the river to inspire actions for health and sustainability of our creeks and rivers through public art.
ALTERNATIVES:
If City Council does not approve the pre-qualified list of Public Art Professionals, this will delay the implementation of the Public Art Strategy. Additionally, the City may choose not to apply for and accept Public Art Challenge funding, however, the City would need to explore other funding sources for temporary art.
FISCAL IMPACT:
A) This ordinance approves a pre-qualified list of public art professionals whose services may be contracted to implement public art projects established by the public art plan in an amount not-to-exceed the eligible budget allocation. There is no fiscal impact to the Department of Arts & Culture encumbered by this ordinance. All contracts are subject to the Public Art Policy adopted by City Council in 2011, as may be subsequently amended, and to the availability of funds in the adopted city budget.
B) This ordinance also authorizes the Department of Arts and Culture to submit a grant application to Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Public Art Challenge and to accept resultant funds up to $1,000,000 over two years. The City would use up to $2,000,000 in Public Art Funds from the 2017 General Obligation Bond to implement the Public Art / bond eligible portions of the project. Grant funding would be used for temporary art, art activations and to hire a curator.
RECOMMENDATION:
A) Staff and the San Antonio Arts Commission recommend that City Council approve this ordinance adopting the pre-qualified artist list to be contracted for public art projects utilizing eligible capital project funds dedicated to public art as well as Department of Arts & Culture budgeted operating funds.
B) Staff and the San Antonio Arts Commission recommend that City Council authorize the Department of Arts & Culture to pursue and accept grant funding from Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Public Art Challenge to enhance its ability to open the landscape to support diverse narratives and voices through temporary art and activations that could not be supported through capital project funding.