Public Art Commission

Salem Public Art Commission 98 Washington Street Salem, Massachusetts 01970 (978) 619-5685 Dominick Pangallo Mayor Public Art Commission July 16, 2024, 6:30pm Meeting held remotely via Zoom MEETING MINUTES Note: All proposals, presentations, and/or documentation to be reviewed and discussed at this meeting can be viewed online at the following link: https://bit.ly/SalemPACProposals ● Meeting called to order at 6:42 pm. ● Roll Call PAC: Norene Gachignard (Chair), Becky Fisher, James Bostick, Hannah Gathman Absent: Carly Dwyer-Naik, Gwen Rosemond Also Present: Julie Barry (Arts & Culture Planner), Aubrey Clark (Clerk) ● Meeting Minute Approvals ○ June 2024 Minutes Motion to approve the June 25 2024 meeting minutes is made by James Bostick, seconded by Becky Fisher and passes 3-0 with Norene Gachignard abstaining. ● Friend-end Street Mural Proposal – Claudia Paraschiv The Friend-end Street Mural Project was previously declined by the Transportation Commission. Claudia Paraschiv was planning to be present at the PAC meeting this evening to discuss proposal, but is not present. The committee moves on to other items in her absence. ● Artists Row Review Committee (Not Listed in Agenda) Julie Barry asks if any committee members want to participate – or can suggest anyone to participate – in a review committee for accepting new artists-in-residence at Artists Row. The committee needs between 5-7 new participants. Applications will be due at the beginning of August. A review committee should meet within the first two weeks of August, followed by a meeting of the Public Art Commission to finalize the review committee’s decision. James Bostick and Becky Fisher both offer to potentially participate in the Review Committee. Individuals from Salem Main Streets and the Creative Collective are also suggested as possible members of the review committee. Additional suggestions include: the National Parks  Service’s Artist in Residence and the Small Business Liaison for the North Shore Community Development Coalition. ● FY25 Budget & Workplan Finalization Julie Barry displays the Public Art Budget Projections for FY2025 on her screen via Zoom. Julie Barry draws attention to inconsistencies in payment rates for artists based on square footage of murals. Examples include: Artbox artists paid at a rate of $12.75/sqft, Mural slam pieces are paid out at $18.75/sqft, and Mural Slam Call Out with Artists Row Sign paid at a rate of $23.81/sqft. The committee discusses adjusting the rate of payment for Artboxes. James Bostick asks how Salem’s payment rate for Artboxes compares to neighboring municipalities. Julie Barry says that Salem’s rates are less than Lynn, more than Peabody, and notes that artists express a great degree of enthusiasm for the program. James Bostick asks about the lifespan of Artboxes. Julie Barry notes that lifespan can vary based on the level of vandalism, ranging from 10-12 years to less than a year. Becky Fisher proposes allotting funding to increased marketing for the project. Hannah Gathman suggests that marketing could take the form of a paid photographer to increase awareness of the program. James Bostick proposes utilizing additional funds in the budget to prepare the Artboxes for the artists before they work, instead of paying the artists to prepare the boxes before they paint. Julie Barry notes that there may be administrative challenges in recruiting contracting services to prepare the boxes. Julie Barry offers to find quotes from contractors for this purpose for the next meeting. Julie Barry clarifies that the committee is able to approve a budget while deferring the decision of how to allocate funds for ArtBox preparation into the next fiscal year. The committee discusses whether the city’s rotating sculpture garden should be kept stationary with a rotating collection or move around the city. Members largely agree that finding a single location for the garden to remain permanently would be better. Julie Barry proposes Leslie’s Retreat and the Harbor Walk as possible permanent locations. James Bostick suggests getting data from Destination Salem to find which location receives the most foot traffic. Norene Gachignard suggests that the garden should remain at Leslie’s Retreat, as the Harbor Walk already receives considerable foot traffic. Hannah Gathman suggests that placing the garden at Leslie’s Retreat helps to spread tourist traffic more around town. Motion to approve the budget as noted with the potential for amendments in the future is made by Norene Gachignard, seconded by Hannah Gathman and passes 4-0. ● August Meeting Date & Content Julie Barry notes that she will be returning from a trip on the date of the next scheduled meeting. She suggests moving the meeting to Wednesday, August 21 or Thursday 22. Hannah Gathman proposes the following Tuesday, August 27. Julie Barry and all committee members present will be available and agree to meet at the following date and time: Tuesday, August 27, 6:30PM. ● Project Updates & Other Business  Julie Barry provides an update on the Charlotte Forten Park project. The final designs for the installation at Charlotte Forten Park will be ready for a technical review at the end of the month. That review will occur in early August. The final designs will then be presented to the Public Art Commission for approval. Installation is planned for Sunday, September 15, with a dedication ceremony planned for 1:00pm that afternoon. Julie Barry provides an update on the planned renovations at Old Town Hall. A contract has been signed for restoration of the building, breaking ground on exterior renovation and ADA improvements in November. There will be scaffolding present around the building, but the building should still be accessible, and events held within should be largely unaffected. An artist may be hired to decorate the scaffolding surrounding the building. ● Adjourn Motion to adjourn is made by James Bostick, seconded by Norene Gachignard and passes 4-0. Persons requiring auxiliary aids and services for effective communication such as sign language interpreter, an assistive listening device, or print material in digital format or a reasonable modification in programs, services, policies, or activities, may contact the City of Salem ADA Coordinator, as soon as possible and no less than 2 business days before the meeting, program, or event. Know your rights under the Open Meeting Law M.G.L. c. 30A § 18-25 and City Ordinance § 2-2028 through § 2-2033.