Public Art Committee

Durham Cultural Advisory Board’s PUBLIC ART COMMITTEE Meeting, January 21, 2015, 8:30 a.m. Adaron Hall, Durham Arts Council MINUTES Members Present: _X_ Kathy Bartlett _X_ Margaret DeMott ___ Dan Ellison ___ Noel James _X_ Chris Ogden (Chair) _X_ Charlene Reiss ___ Julie Rhodes _X_ Karen Slotta ___ Gail Williams OEWD Staff Present: _X_ Peter Coyle Also Present : Sherry DeVries, Tony Waldron, Tim Walter, Katie Seitz, David Solow The meeting was called to order by Chair Chris Ogden at 8:35 a.m. Kathy Bartlett made a motion to accept the minutes of the December 17, 2014 meeting. Charlene Reiss seconded the motion. It was approved unanimously. Ogden provided a “sneak peak” on the February agenda. He reminded the group that they are always invited to suggest/request topics. He reported that public art consultant Jean Greer’s presentation was moved to the February meeting of the committee due to the smART charrette. Peter Coyle will also schedule a presentation on the city’s Capital Improvement Plan to inform us about the potential percent for art program budget impact, and a presentation about a proposed project by the Nasher Museum. Ogden reported on a meeting of himself and members of the Cultural Advisory Board Executive Committee with Grace Dzidzienyo and Peter Coyle. The meeting discussed possible funding of near-term projects. He reported that the meeting looked at the longer term issue of moving toward a full 1% of CIP funding mechanism, recognizing that moving in that direction will be a multi-year process. He reported on asking again this year (last year the CAB made a formal proposal to the City Manager) about funding a public art professional staff position in Durham to both serve as informational resource/ombudsman for artists and developers wishing to create public art in Durham, and also to spearhead the creation and implementation of Durham's "public art program." Dzidzienyo indicated that in the current City budget cycle, given that the City is facing a potential six million dollar shortfall that needs to be closed, it is not the right time for the Office of Economic and Workforce development to request a move to full 1% funding nor to propose new staff. Ogden asked whether it would help our cause to go on record by formally 21 January, 2015 Durham Public Art Committee Minutes page 1 of 4 asking again this year for staffing, to create a multi-year track record. Dzidzienyo did recommend that the committee develop a job description for a full time public art staff member so that the document would be available for future planning purposes. Ogden relayed the request for funding to hire a nationally respected public art consultant to help finish our creation of a Strategic Plan for Public Art Funding to create a best practices "public art program" for Durham. Such a plan will include how to promulgate a sustainable, strategic funding model (eg. a combination of percent for art, project-based, grants, developer incentives, donations). It will also address staffing needs and next steps for creating suitable structures/policies/procedures and garnering support. It will address implementation timelines, costs, and ROIs. It will lay out how we can simultaneously encourage grass roots arts initiatives while in parallel, fostering high quality and big impact strategically planned projects (to avoid a series of "plop art" installations). It will address best practices for encouraging communication and cooperation between various stakeholders around public art (e.g., the City, State/Durham Arts Councils, DDI, DCVB, Chamber of Commerce, Duke/NCCU, artists, developers, community, etc.). It would layout options for Durham creating a plan and implementing a program that is both strategic (looking long-term) and practical (dealing with our current fiscal realities political appetites). The CAB's Public Art Committee has been, and will continue, working in these areas, but is rapidly approaching a point where it is time for professional input, to fully flesh out a public art specific component of the broader "Cultural Master Plan." Using the upcoming Police Headquarters project as a “case study” could provide great synergies. Dzidzienyo indicated conceptual support for the request and recommended that since the committee is interested in engaging a consultant, that the committee develop the goals and scope for the consultancy so that it can be reviewed and the potential cost calculated. She indicated that the office may have as much as $75,000.00 available in the Downtown Development Fund in the current fiscal year and that the office can look at possibilities of fund both public at projects and a consultant. The group discussed potential immediate projects, including a major installation at City Hall or a project at Durham Station, as well as the possibility of purchasing one or more works from the Bull City Sculpture Show. Ogden reported on discussions with OEWD to create more meaningful, and widely promoted, developer incentives to include high-quality, best practices public art installations and performing arts spaces and new developments and rehab projects. Ogden reminded the committee that the City has been putting $5,000 per year into the CIP Public Art Fund and the Strategic Funding Task Force’s desire to increase it under both percent art philosophies and project-based fundings. Dzidzienyo suggested that the committee propose a specific project as justification for an increase in the City contribution in FY2016. The committee discussed various possibilities, including some that are already planned but for which funds are not fully available, including the Bull City Connector artist-designed bus shelter project, a water feature at Central Park, a SmART Grant project implementation project at Parking Lot 20, and other ideas. After discussion, Charlene Reiss moved, and Margaret DeMott seconded, a resolution recommending projects for consideration in the following order of priority: The Bus Shelter project 21 January, 2015 Durham Public Art Committee Minutes page 2 of 4  A Durham Station project A project at or near Parking Lot 20 A Central Park water feature Other Smart Grant project initiatives. The motion passed unanimously and will be reported to the Cultural Advisory Board for consideration. The committee also discussed and recommended, in conjunction with that resolution, that OEWD consider the City Hall project idea as a primary choice for use of current Downtown Development funds, with the bus shelter project as a second choice if the City Hall project is not feasible and if the bus shelter project is not part of a CIP request. Ogden reminded committee members of the opportunity for individuals to speak about budget issues with the City Council and City Manager at a series of “Coffees With Council” scheduled in February and March. Coyle will send the schedule to all committee members, by email. Bartlett distributed a draft of the Public Art accomplishments report to the committee and requested that members review it and send her suggestions by email for changes and improvements. Ogden reported that the committee’s Strategic Planning task force has begun meeting and that Duke intern Nick Orr has been doing research to assist in that effort. Reiss reported that the Police Headquarters task force began meeting in January. The initial meeting had over ten attendees, with broad diversity, including a police officer. The group discussed a number of reasons for the need for public art integrated into the new headquarters building, and not just a sculpture or two plunked onsite. The concept of the “Building As Art,” both inside and out, including the parking deck, received strong support. Consensus was to emphasize diversity beyond just race/gender/sexual orientation to include economics, geography, disabilities, age, and others. Target audiences for the integrated art are to include police, victims, victims’ families, perpetrators, at risk youth, and the community writ large. The group developed themes based on those discussions. Among other things considered were the use of art to support police/community relations, to improve the pedestrian environment on East Main Street and to support the building’s physical and symbolic relationship with nearby facilities including the senior citizen housing across Main Street from the location. The committee was invited to research examples of great public art and report back. The task force will continue meeting and its members will participate in a public visioning session for the headquarters, which will be held in late February. Coyle will invite the City’s associated project manager, Trish Creta, to the next meeting. It was agreed that it is crucial to coordinate with General Services to become involved from the vary beginning, including architect hiring and forward. DeMott reported that the SmART project consultant, Mikyoung Kim, and her associate conducted a second round of charrettes on January 13. They will be continuing their research. She stressed that the consultant will not be proposing a specific design but a vision plan to serve as a “plan of opportunity” to guide the next phase of the planning process. Ogden asked if the 21 January, 2015 Durham Public Art Committee Minutes page 3 of 4 committee can receive the next draft of the consultant’s proposal. DeMott will find out. Reiss commented on how she was struck how NOT diverse the attendees were. She encouraged the DAC to include the “other Durham” who would be affected by the corridor, but are often missed. It was also suggested that community input and information meetings also be held after normal working hours so that a more diverse group might be able to attend. Ogden reported that he had heard from participant in the consultant’s session with local developers that the session was well received by the participants from the business community. He requested that, if appropriate, the Durham Arts Council keep the committee informed on the next round of the process. Ogden reminded the Committee that a call to fill Committee vacancies was posted and to encourage folks to apply who would fill some of our skills needs, be willing to work outside our monthly meetings, and increase our diversity. He updated the committee on the status of the American Tobacco Campus mural proposal for Willard Street. That is moving forward for a vote by the City Council on February 2. Coyle reported that his office continues to look at the idea of a neighborhood youth mural under the City’s summer youth employment program and will keep the committee informed. Charlene Reiss made a motion to adjourn. It was seconded by Karen Slotta. It passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 10:00am. 21 January, 2015 Durham Public Art Committee Minutes page 4 of 4