SUPPORTS ITEM NO. 6
P&E COMMITTEE AGENDA
DECEMBER 7, 1995
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: November 21, 1995
TO: Standing Committee on Planning and Environment
FROM: Director of Cultural Affairs
SUBJECT: 1995 Community Public Art Grant
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT Council approve grants totalling $73,000 to eight
organizations as listed in Table 1; source of funds to be
$48,000 of City funds and $25,000 of Vancouver Foundation
funds, in the Public Art Unallocated Account.
B. THAT funds be released on the authority of the Director of
the Office of Cultural Affairs after Park Board approval of
projects intended for Park sites, and after civic staff have
resolved any outstanding technical concerns.
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Community Services submits A and B for
CONSIDERATION.
COUNCIL POLICY
On June 27, 1995, Council approved $60,000 for the Community Public
Art program. Its objectives are to encourage and assist artists and
communities to collaborate on public art projects which contribute to
community development and create lasting art legacies.
Approval of grant recommendations requires eight affirmative votes.
PURPOSE
The Office of Cultural Affairs received 14 applications for 1995
Community Public Art grants, totalling $131,184. This report outlines
these applications, describes the evaluation process, and recommends
grants to eight community projects.
SUMMARY
Table 1 (following) summarizes the eight Community Public Art grants
recommended by the Director of the Office of Cultural Affairs.
Appendix A provides details of the recommended projects; Appendix B
lists the six projects not recommended for funding; and Appendix C
provides the guidelines and criteria of the Community Public Art
Program.
Table 1 - Projects Recommended
Grants are recommended to the following non-profit societies which are
the organizational partners in the community public art projects
described in Appendix A.
Community Organization Requested Recommended
Arts in Action Society $ 9,700 $ 9,700
Avenue for the Arts Society $16,257 $ 8,600
Community Radio Education
Society $ 5,000 $ 5,000
Environmental Youth Alliance $ 13,500 $ 13,500
Fraserlands Riverside
Residents Association $ 16,710 $ 15,000
General Brock Elementary
Vancouver School Board $ 10,000 $ 10,000
Public Dreams Society $ 6,200 $ 6,200
Ray-Cam Co-operative Centre $ 5,000 $ 5,000
Total $ 82,367 $ 73,000
Approval of the recommendations in Table 1 leaves no unallocated funds
in the 1995 Community Public Art budget.
BACKGROUND
On June 27, 1995, City Council approved a 1995 allocation of $60,000
to the Civic Public Art Program and a draft budget outlining
expenditures. The draft budget was based on the assumption that The
Vancouver Foundation would also participate in the program. The
Foundations contribution is now confirmed as $25,000 toward projects
recommended in this Report.
BUDGET 1995 Community Public Art Program
City funds approved $ 60,000
Vancouver Foundation 25,000
$ 85,000
Costs
Program expenses $ 2,000
Facilitator 10,000 $ 12,000
Recommended for projects 73,000 73,000
$ 85,000
DISCUSSION
The 14 applications received were first reviewed by the staff Public
Art Planning Team to identify departmental jurisdictions and
requirements (risk management, permit needs, Park Board approval).
Applications were then evaluated by program facilitator Skai Fowler,
Cultural Affairs staff, and three community representatives
experienced with Community Public Art program goals:
- Marg Meikle, of the Public Art Committee
- Henry Tsang, artist
- Mariken van Nimwegen, artist, community volunteer
Grants were recommended to eight applicants, with preference given to
projects that:
. presented a clear and well-developed plan of action and budget;
. identified lasting art legacies which are technically feasible,
new or innovative, and respond to a community issue or concern;
and
. demonstrated strong community support and involvement in the
design and implementation of the project.
A detailed description of Program guidelines and criteria is contained
in Appendix C.
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APPENDIX A
1 of 3
DESCRIPTION OF RECOMMENDED PROJECTS
Arts in Action Society
Title: Words in the Air
The project will create six large transparent panels on which poetry
and visuals reflecting the local community can be displayed. The
combination of panels and artwork act as a sculpture. Artists and
community members will collaborate on the content of the artwork, and
the proposed work is to be installed in the vicinity of the Renfrew
Public Library.
Recommended subject to further identification of community
participants and approval of installation by relevant civic
departments.
Amount requested: $9,700
Amount recommended: $9,700
Avenue for the Arts Society
Title: The Art of Juxtaposition
Two artists will be working with library users to create collage
murals for the new Central Public Library. The works would be hung
near the large Xerox "booths" located on each floor of the library.
The artists will conduct workshops open to the general public, and the
imagery will reflect the theme of the floor on which the work is
displayed, e.g., Music, Fine Art, History.
Amount requested: $16,257
Amount recommended: $ 8,600
Community Radio Education Society
Title: Community Art in the Public Soundscape
This is a development project to create a sound-based artwork to
assist the public in analyzing and appreciating the soundscape of
their neighbourhood.
Appendix A
Page 2 of 3
The project is based in the Downtown Eastside and Grandview-Woodlands
areas, and will include youth from 2 alternate schools and several
community centres. Once the soundscapes have been completed, they
will be played back at local parks, community centres, schools and
Vancouver Community College. The public will then have an opportunity
to discuss with the participants how environmental sound becomes part
of personal identity and conveys neighbourhood character.
Support for the developmental nature of this project has been made
possible by the Vancouver Foundation's participation in the program.
Amount requested: $5,000
Amount recommended: $5,000
Environmental Youth Alliance Society
Title: Cottonwood Earthworks
This project proposes to create a series of earth and plant sculptures
("earthworks") adjacent to the Strathcona Community Gardens. Located
on city land at Malkin and Raymuir, the project brings together youth
and professional artists to portray the connection between the
environment, youth, and their local neighbourhood.
Recommended subject to the approval of Park Board.
Amount requested: $ 13,500
Amount recommended: $ 13,500
Fraserlands Riverside Residents Association
Title: The Discovery Project
Local organizations and residents will engage in "mapping" sites of
historical or natural interest and then collaborate with artists in
the design and production of artwork markers for these sites. The
project intends to highlight six locations which have particular
significance to the residents of South East Vancouver.
Amount requested: $16,710
Amount recommended: $15,000
Appendix A
Page 3 of 3
General Brock Elementary (Vancouver School Board)
Title: The Many Faces of Brock
A collaborative sculpture installation, comprising some 200 pieces of
terra cotta mounted on the exterior wall of the school. A majority of
pieces will be life-size self-portraits by students, parents, teachers
and neighbours of the school, and the balance will be decorative
elements. The two artists involved will link the community
contributions with work of their own to create a coherent whole.
Amount requested: $10,000
Amount recommended: $10,000
Public Dreams Society
Title: Downtown Banner Development Project
Support is recommended for the workshop and design phase of a project
to create street banners in several blocks of the Downtown Eastside.
Phase one is to engage residents of the area in creating designs for
street banners through a series of workshops culminating in an
exhibition of banner ideas.
The second phase, in 1997, is to match designs with potential sponsors
who would then provide the cost of fabrication and installation.
This project has both a community development and design orientation
and is particularly relevant to the Vancouver Foundation's support of
the program.
Amount requested: $6,200
Amount recommended: $6,200
Ray-Cam Co-operative Centre Society
Title: Art Action
The project intends to create a large fabric wall hanging for the
interior of the centre. Two artists, both resident in the area, will
engage users and staff at Ray Cam Community Centre through workshops
themed: "people who care for you/people you care for". The project is
part of a longer-term initiative about the importance of child-care
and care givers in the neighbourhood.
Amount requested: $5,000
Amount recommended: $5,000
* * * * *
APPENDIX B
PROJECTS NOT RECOMMENDED
Kerrisdale Community Centre
Title: Archway of Cultural Sharing
Large cement and tile archway at Kerrisdale Community Centre.
Amount requested: $50,000
Champlain Heights Community Centre
Title: Champlain Heights Mural Project
A mural reflecting the history of the area to be painted on an
interior wall of the Community Centre.
Amount requested: $11,690
False Creek Community Centre
Title:The Granville Island Bridge Project
Design phase for a project to involve a number of Island organizations
and area residents in creating a series of aluminum decorative panels
for the pillars of the Granville Street Bridge.
Amount requested: $5,900
Strathcona Community Centre
Title: Kinetic Kids
An project to design and install wooden cut-out figures on the fence
around Strathcona Elementary School.
Amount requested: $10,867
Vancouver Community College
Title: VCC Mural Project
A project to design and create a mural for the downtown campus.
Amount requested: $19,540
Strathcona Community Centre
Title: Youth Initiative Day
Murals to be installed in the Strathcona area.
Amount requested: $2,550
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