Public Art Commission

Salem Public Art Commission Meeting March 15, 2016 The Public Art Commission (PAC) was held on Tuesday, March 15, 2016, in Room 313, Third Floor, at 120 Washington Street, Salem, MA. Norene Gachignard, Chairperson, called the meeting to order at 6:21pm. Roll Call: Members Present: Norene Gachignard, Lillian Hsu, Amanda Moore, Keshia De Leon and Deborah Greel, Public Art Planner Absent: Austen Barron Bailly, J. Michael Sullivan, Mary Best Approval of February Minutes: Moore made a motion to approve the minutes. Gachignard seconded the motion. Discussion: Hsu suggested the following changes to the minutes: Third sentence: Hsu said that the City put forward money for a Public Art Masterplan, a commission and staff but with only $10,000 per year the budget falls too short for the vision of the masterplan. Moore suggested the following changes to the minutes: Fourth sentence: “Moore said that is important to for the public art commission to go on record that we requested more funding. If they want a public art program they have to fund it to make a difference.” Hsu made a motion to accept the minutes as amended. Moore seconded the motion. Motion passes: 4-0 Discuss Public Art Work plan 2016-2017 Documents and Exhibitions: 2015-2016 Work Plan Gachignard noted that significant amount of money from the public art budget is spent on Artbox. Greel mentioned an inventory of the boxes to look at their condition and if the painting needs repair. She also mentioned Yonward, an interactive app for phones that have people make their own walking tours might be a way to bring more awareness to the Artboxes. Moore noted that there needs to be an interactive and user friendly component and social media to promote initiatives like Artbox. Hsu said that PAC should request additional funding for Artboxes as the program has been in place prior to the PAC. She noted that Artbox is a great community centered program but it is a program that many towns and cities do. We want to be more innovative and ambitious with more individual artists that are unique would help grow the program. Moore asked about maintenance money for the Artboxes and suggested a more in depth conversation about the true cost of the Artbox program. Gachignard suggested that an organization like the Boy Scouts could take on care and cleaning of the box. Hsu asked how the Mayor wants the program to work and to establish what an ongoing program is. She also suggested separating ongoing programs from new initiatives in the Public Art work plan. Moore offered to work on a new initiative for a social media component for public art and work with Montserrat College of Art and Lesley College for interns that would create the social media component. She can help come up with a list of partners that engage with social media including Instagram. Social media should be a new initiative for the work plan. Hsu discussed the Parking Day Initiative and said to advertise the program and then it is up to the community to bring their ideas to the ‘parking’ space. Real community gathering places make a playful city. The Parking Day will be added to new initiatives. Discuss and Vote on Artists Selection Panel for Artbox Program Documents and Exhibition: Names of Artists Selection Panel for Artbox Program The following individuals have agreed to serve on the Artist Selection Panel: Austen Barron Bailly The George Putnam Curator of American Art, Peabody Essex Museum Mary Melilli Chair of Art + Design, Salem State University Craig Nelson Artist (Craig has been the liaison for the program with the artists) John Andrews Creative Salem – Social Palates Deborah Greel Public Art Planner There was no discussion on the names put forward for the Artists Selection Panel for Artbox Program. Hsu made a motion to accept the panel. Moore seconded the motion. Motion passes: 4-0 Updates: Artists’ Row: The deadline for “Call for Creative Entrepreneurs” for the Artists’ Row 2016 season was due on Friday, February 12. The Artist Selection Panel met and reviewed two applications. One of the applications was a performance group with no retail component and therefore not chosen by the panel. Another applicant, favored by the panel, is a glass studio that would only require a small kiln. This applicant is also a Salem resident. It was agreed by the panel that the call be extended to March 25th to accept more applicants for the remaining stall. A press release was sent out by the Mayor’s office and one application was submitted to date. Greel noted that Kate Leavy, due to a potential conflict of interest with a future tenant recused herself from the Artist Selection Panel. A meeting was held with Department heads discussing Artists’ Row and what improvements can be done this spring. Due to the number of customers serviced by the Lobster Shanty and lack of a handicapped accessible bathroom on site the Building Department said that the bathrooms have to remain on the Row for the foreseeable future. The bathrooms will need some upgrades such as new stall dividers which will get done this spring. Greel had requested that the brick wall between the bathroom and small stall closest to Derby Street be removed for greater visibility from the parking lot. The wall was removed Monday, March 14th. Public Art Installation: The Artist Selection Panel reviewed the proposals on February 18. Seventeen proposals were submitted. Three artists were selected and asked to submit a full proposal. The proposals are due by the end of March and to be presented in person to the panel. Artbox Program: Greel met with Mary Melilli, Chair of Art & Design at Salem State and Karen Gahagan, Director of the Creative Art Center at SSU to edit the call so that it is geared to Salem State students as well as reflecting the sponsorship by the college. The students work will still go through the Artists Selection Panel for final approval. The plan is to update the current application and send out within the week to solicit applications for the other sponsored boxes. Public Comments: Jason Lee of Cambridge said it was really interesting and asked if Salem have a public art twitter account. Greel said that she has a twitter account as public art planner. Adjourn Hsu made a motion to adjourn. Gachignard seconded the motion. Motion Passes: Adjourn: 7:21