ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: June 12, 1997
C.C. File No. 2401
To: Vancouver City Council
From: Director of Cultural Affairs, in consultation with
the Directors of Finance and Facility Development
Subject: 1997 Public Art Allocations from 1997/99 Capital Plan
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT Council approve $75,000 for the 1997 Community Public Art
Program with specific projects to be reported back, and source
of funds to be the Public Art Unallocated Budget.
B. THAT Council approve grants up to a total of $10,000 for art
fabrication materials for the community centre associations
listed in Appendix "A", with funds to be released on authority
of the Director of Cultural Affairs, and source of funds to be
the Public Art Unallocated Budget.*
C. THAT Council approve $16,000 for Greenway Ridgeway art works
to complete the current Ridgeway Pilot project, with the
source of funds to be the Pubic Art Unallocated Budget.
D. THAT Council approve up to $16,000 for 1997 Public Art Program
expenses as described in this report, with the source of funds
to be the Public Art Unallocated Budget.
E. THAT Council approve up to $30,000 for "Working Landscape",
with the source of funds to be $15,000 from the Public Art
Unallocated Budget and $15,000 from the Public Art General
Reserve.
F. THAT Council authorize the Director of Finance to issue
tax receipts for donations received by the City for
"Working Landscape".
* These allocations would be grants requiring eight
affirmative votes of Council
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS A through F.
COUNCIL POLICY
On May 8, 1997, City Council approved $150,000 for public art project in
1997 as part of the 1997-99 Capital Plan.
City Council has funded Community Public Art each year since 1994, and
provided funds for artists in residence for the first time in 1996.
City Council may authorize the issuance of tax receipts for donations to
civic capital projects.
PURPOSE
This report recommends a total of $147,000 in public art allocations. A
later report will give a general update on Public Art Program activity
and recommend other projects for Council consideration.
BACKGROUND
The Public Art Program provides for the development of public art at
civic capital works, in major new private developments, and (through
Community Public Art) in residential neighbourhoods. Specific
allocations to civic public art projects, including the Community Public
Art Program, are periodically recommended by staff and the Public Art
Committee for Council authorization.
DISCUSSION
COMMUNITY PUBLIC ART PROGRAM
Council has approved a community public art program every year since
1994. The program encourages collaborations by artists and communities
on projects which address neighbourhood needs or aspirations.
Twenty-seven projects have been funded to date, and several hundred
people, mainly children and families, have participated. The quality of
applications and projects has increased each year, and public enthusiasm
for community-based art continues to grow.
In 1995 and again in 1996, Vancouver Foundation gave $25,000 to
community public art from the Foundation's community development fund.
Consistent with the Foundation's development role, this funding was for
two years only, and is no longer available. We are grateful for the
Foundation's contribution to the development of the program.
This year, in keeping with the reduced funds available, we recommend an
allocation of $75,000, or $15,000 less in Civic funds than in 1996. To
maximize the funds available for projects, Cultural Affairs staff will
provide the program administration provided in previous years by
contract personnel, at a cost of $13,000.
ART-MAKING MATERIALS FOR ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE
In 1996, City Council provided grants totalling $10,000 to five
community centre associations for art project materials. These funds
contributed materially to the quality of the projects. This year, six
associations--Douglas Park, Kerrisdale, Killarney, Marpole, Strathcona,
and West Point Grey--are sponsoring artist projects. We recommend that
Council approve grants totalling $10,000 again this year, with
individual allocations of up to $2,000 per sponsor to be released on the
authority of the Director of Cultural Affairs, following a detailed
review process. Projects and sponsors are listed in Appendix "A".
Greenway Ridgeway Pilot Project
City Council provided $130,000 in 1996 for public art along the
Ridgeway. These funds were allocated to art works being made for 16
sites. Fourteen art works were selected for the tops of signal poles at
arterials which cross the Ridgeway. Greenways staff have identified
four additional poles--two at Cambie and two at Victoria Drive--which
would complete the current Ridgeway construction phase. If Council
approves the funds, four more art works would, on the selection panel's
recommendation, be commissioned from artists already providing works for
poles at other sites along the Ridgeway. The Public Art Committee
supports this recommendation.
"WORKING LANDSCAPE"
Council approved Daniel Laskarin's "Working Landscape" for 901 W.
Hastings in June, 1996. The selectional panel recommended it following a
public process and display of five short-list proposals at Library
Square. A $100,000 budget was provided by the private sector.
"Working Landscape" consists of four turntables of differing diameter,
three of which rotate at differing rates. These represent the work week
(40 hours), the work day (8 hours) and the lunch break (1 hour). The
original budget did not provide for the fourth turntable (the coffee
break, which would rotate every 20 minutes) to be mechanized.
The selection panel unanimously recommended the work as approved by
Council (i.e., with three mechanized and one fixed turntable). But it
also recommended that the City fund the mechanization of the fourth
turntable. Staff advised Council last June that it would report back on
that cost. The Public Art Committee, fearing the provision of extra
funds would set a precedent, did not support the request, and staff did
not present one to Council.
Soon after construction began, the artist realized the budget would not
cover the cost of the project as first approved. Staff from Cultural
Affairs and Facilities Development reviewed the project budget with the
artist, and also reviewed the selection and tendering process to find
where the budget errors occurred, and determine an accurate project
budget.
Despite staff and selection panel review of project costs before
commission, the project was found to be insufficient in four areas.
Incomplete tendering quotations, increased material costs, the added
cost of City safety stipulations, and the omission of GST combined to
raise the cost significantly.
Present Status
The four turntables have been constructed and installation has begun.
Meanwhile, entirely on his own initiative, the artist has begun to
fund-raise for completion of the artwork and has to date raised
commitments of $20,000, subject to the City providing tax receipts for
donations. We recommend that Council authorize the Director of Finance
to issue tax receipts for this project.
Project Implications: Completing "Working Landscape"
To complete the work as originally approved--with three mechanized and
one fixed turntable--the City quantity surveyor estimates an additional
$50,000 is required (Appendix "B"). To complete the project as
recommended by the selection panel (with the fourth turntable
mechanized) a further $30,000 is required (Appendix "C").
The Public Art Committee and staff continue to support this work in its
original form. We recommend that Council approve up to an additional
$30,000 (source of funds is $15,000 in City funds from the Public Art
Unallocated Budget, and $15,000 from the Public Art Reserve.
The artist also wishes to fundraise the amount needed to mechanize the
fourth turntable. Staff and the Public Art Committee support this plan,
and recommend in addition to issuing a tax receipt for the $20,000 in
commitments referenced above, that the City issue tax receipts for
subsequent donations to this project. All additional donated funds will
be budgeted by the City to activate the fourth turntable or provide
additional planting material.
Public Art Program Implications:
Amendments to the Public Art Process
Changes have been made to reduce the likelihood that similar
under-budgeting will occur in future. The public art process has been
amended as per Appendix E.
PUBLIC ART PROGRAM OPERATING EXPENSES
Expenses specific to the operation of the public art program are
incurred every year. These cover the cost of advertising project and
artist opportunities; of advising artists, developers and others on new
developments in public art; of providing liaison via public meetings
held annually at SFU Downtown; and to the production of brochures,
pamphlets, signage and displays used in conjunction with other City
Programs, such as City Plan. A budget estimate of 1997 costs appears as
Appendix "D".
1997 PUBLIC ART BUDGET
If Council approves the $131,000 expenditures proposed above, the 1997
Public Art Unallocated Budget Remaining will be as follows:
1997 Capital Plan Allocation 150,000
1996 Unallocated Carried Forward 90,000
Public Art Reserve 15,000
_______
255,000
Proposed Expenditures: 75,000
10,000
16,000
16,000
30,000 147,000
1997 Balance Remaining: 108,000
Council is asked to note that approval of these expenditures is
recommended now, to enable the projects to proceed. A later report will
provide a more comprehensive update on Program activity and present the
balance of 1997 allocations for Council consideration.
COMMENTS OF THE PUBLIC ART COMMITTEE
Tight budgets, small fees for models, and the artist's desire to make
the best possible art work can lead to overly optimistic estimates and
insufficient budget projections. Members of the Public Art Committee
have worked closely with staff to amend the public art process as
outlined above. The Committee recommends these measures to City
Council, and indeed, supports all recommendations contained in this
report.
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