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HomeMy Public PortalAbout7A Public Arts CommissionAGENDA ITEM 7.A. MANAGEMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT DATE: January 10, 2013 MEMORANDUM TO: The Honorable City Council FROM: Jose E. Pulido, City Manage By: Brian Haworth, Assistant to the City Manager' Lesley Elwood, Public Art Consultant SUBJECT: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE PUBLIC ART COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Council: a) Approve the list herein of five recommended candidates to fill five open seats on the Public Art Commission, along with one recommended candidate to serve as an alternate in the case of future Commission vacancies for a period not to exceed three years; and b) Consider increasing the Commission to seven or nine members with an alternate for an interim period of three years, thus taking advantage of a large and qualified candidate pool; or c) Provide staff with other direction as deemed necessary. BACKGROUND: 1. On September 20, 2012, Ordinance No. 12-960 took effect establishing an Art in Public Places Program. Among other things, the statute established a five -member commission to act in an advisory capacity to the City Council (Council) on matters pertaining to public art policies and acquisitions. 2. At the October 2, 2012 Council meeting, Mayor Pro Tem Sternquist (during Council comments) recommended that because the Public Art Commission (Commission) is a new body with a unique role, all candidates should be interviewed and recommended by an outside panel of public art professionals (i.e., artists and City Council January 10, 2013 Page 2 administrators). This arrangement would ensure for greater transparency and without any perception of Council bias to the selection process. The Council concurred, setting forth the process. 3. On October 8, 2012, the City opened the Commission recruitment process to Temple City residents and business owners. Notification was made through various communication platforms—from news print media and telephonic means to social media and web postings—to ensure a strong candidate pool. The application deadline was November 9, 2012. 4. On October 16, 2012, the Council approved a professional services agreement with Elwood and Associates for public art advisory services. The firm was procured to assist staff in charting a course for the Commission's formative years, including the development of public art guidelines; finalizing an annual work plan; drafting a percent -for -art fee ordinance; and facilitating the design and artistic selection process for new public art components inclusive of the upcoming Rosemead Boulevard and Las Tunas streetscape enhancement projects. Furthermore, as part of their scope and consistent with Council direction, the firm was tasked to assemble an outside panel of local public arts professionals (who have demonstrated exemplary accomplishment in their fields) for candidate interviews, and to provide the Council with a list of five recommended Commission candidates. 5. On November 9, 2012, the Commission recruitment process closed, yielding a strong and diverse pool of 17 candidates (Attachment "A"). 6. On November 27, 2012, all candidates were notified of their December 6, 2012 interview date and time. One candidate subsequently withdrew their application. Furthermore, Elwood and Associates confirmed an impressive outside interview panel comprised of: Jose Antonio Aauirre, a 2009 Fulbright recipient, artist and resident of Pasadena. He has completed several international and national public art works, and is currently commissioned by the City of Denver, CO and Metro Gold Line Foothill Construction Authority for newly constructed transit projects; Chusien Chana, an artist, educator and resident of the San Gabriel Valley. Her public artworks include those in Shanghai, China; installations along the Los Angeles River; and The Wheels of Change, an installation of several public art features located at the Chinatown/Metro Gold Line station. She is a previous Board Member of NEWTON, a Pasadena -based non-profit that promotes alternative and temporary art installations; Erin Harkev, a public art administrator at the Los Angeles County Arts Commission and former associate director of the Long Beach Arts Council, which managed public art projects on behalf of the city's transportation authority and City Council January 10, 2013 Page 3 former redevelopment agency. Her professional experience also includes tenures at notable cultural institutions including the District of Columbia Arts Center and the Music Center of Los Angeles County; and Leslie Fisher, a public art administrator with the City of Pasadena, who recently took over administration of the innovative and award-winning Rotating Public Art Program. Ms. Fischer previously worked for the City of Los Angeles as an arts collection curator and is an adjunct professor of public art practice at Otis College of Art and Design. She has also taught in the Public Art Program at the University of Southern California. 7. On December 6, 2012, the outside panel conducted the interviews using a set of standardized questions relevant to the Commission's roles and responsibilities. These questions, provided to the candidates upon notification of their scheduled interviews, were intended to facilitate a fair and competitive selection process (Attachment 'B"). 8. On December 10, 2012, the outside panel provided a unanimous selection of their candidate recommendations to fill the five open Commission seats. The panel also provided a recommended alternate in the case of future Commission vacancies— this arrangement would allow for greater staff efficiencies and uninterrupted Commission business, given a proposed and aggressive work plan for the next three years. ANALYSIS: Upon conclusion of a six -hour interview process, the outside panel convened into a discussion that recapped each candidate's qualifications and experience. Central to this theme, the panel came to consensus that the Commission reflect Temple City's cultural diversity; and its cohorts of residents, educators, artists and the business community. Pursuing this direction would serve the Commission well—especially during its formative years—as it moves forward in developing a shared and citywide vision for public art. The panel also discussed several issues that led them to their unanimous selection of the five candidates. First, each candidate spoke of Temple City's diversity as an opportunity and asset. Second, they demonstrated appreciation for art and culture as the foundation of a productive, well rounded and educated community. Finally, all candidates demonstrated an understanding of the potential impact the Commission could have based on their own experience and expertise. The panel felt strongly that the new Commission start fresh without a set agenda of activities to complete; and that the collective selection of their recommended five candidates reflect a strong coalition of residents, business, arts professionals and those City Council January 10, 2013 Page 4 with extensive non-profit and volunteer experience. The following provides the panel's recommendation of Commission candidates in profile form. Hilary Larsen • Lifelong Temple City resident. • B.A., History, University of California Los Angeles. • Professional experience in public art restoration and the commission of new art projects during her tenure with the LA Neighborhood Land Trust. • Defined public art and its opportunities through an urban planning perspective, understanding the potential for using public art to create more livable communities. • Demonstrated excellent working knowledge of non-profit organizations and public art programs, and its various funding complexities. Jianxin Zhao • Artist and arts educator for over 30 years; owner of US Fine Arts Education Center, 9451 Yz Las Tunas Dr. • Masters in Fine Art, Central Academy of Fine Arts (Beijing, China). • Artworks are included in collections of the China National Museum of Fine Art. • Has an artistic approach informed by diverse cultural influences and sensibilities, with a primary viewpoint on the importance of art to stimulate the creative minds of youth for lifelong learning and creativity. • Provided unique and creative ideas to make Temple City an international destination for public art and culture. Angie Kim • Temple City resident. • B.A., Graphic Design and Art History, Cal Poly Pomona. • Graphic designer; owner of Flowlines Design (based in Temple City). • Articulated public art as an opportunity for family and youth interaction, driven by a comprehensive program vision. • Conveyed public art as a prime opportunity to introduce youth to arts education. Marvann Rachford • Temple City resident for over 50 years. • Ed.D., Education, Azusa Pacific University. • Full-time art history and studio arts professor at Citrus College; 29 years of arts education experience. • Viewed the public art program as a means to create a series of stand -out focal points reflecting the historical importance of art and culture in strong societies. City Council January 10, 2013 Page 5 • Extremely proficient in various forms of artistic expression, methods and materials. Expressed the potential to teach other academic subjects through the visual arts. David Ho • Temple City resident. • B.A., Psychology, Cal Poly Pomona; M.A., Education, Harvard University. • Educational mentor and tutor; owner of Platinum Academy, 9404 Las Tunas Dr. • Clearly articulated the value of public art from a business owner's perspective, while understanding the value of art in youth development and to Temple City's quality of life. • Viewed public art as an economic development opportunity through destination placemaking, thus bringing outside visitors to the city. Additionally, Joanne Rosso was recommended as the alternate in the event of a future Commission vacancy. A resident of Temple City, Ms. Rosso is a high school history teacher and member of the City's public art advisory group. The panel appreciated her passion for the arts, as well as her vision for local public art, based on examples encountered through her world travels. Should the Council approve this outside recommendation, the City Clerk will then present for formal action the Council's naming of the aforementioned candidates to the Commission on February 5, 2013. This action will subsequently allow the new Commissioners to tentatively meet for their first meeting on February 20, 2013. CONSIDERATION: COMMISSION EXPANSION Given such a strong candidate pool, the Council may also consider temporarily expanding the size of the Commission to seven or nine members. This arrangement may prove beneficial for the next three years as the Commission begins to craft its goals and objectives; it may also provide for greater resident participation and involvement from the City's public art advisory group. This proposal, however, comes with its disadvantages. A proposed expansion of the advisory body is outside the City's normal commission structure, and its increase of members may hinder the Commission's progress in moving forward its necessary and baseline work program (e.g., setting procedural, artistic and acquisition policies). Furthermore, by considering additional candidates for the Commission, it may eliminate some—who may be artists—from submitting for future public art opportunities. The Commisson's role is to set forth a public art work plan, and not necessarily to create or design public art installations. If the Council considers this alternative, staff recommends that the Commission be temporarily expanded—for a period of three years—to seven members and an City Council January 10, 2013 Page 6 alternate, as this arrangement is the most efficient from a programmatic and administrative standpoint. Should Council move forward with this consideration (regardless of a seven- or nine -member Commission), Ms. Elwood would assemble another outside selection panel with the following candidates for interview (upon recommendation of the first panel): • Mary Coolman; • Robert Hepler; • Kathy Keelin; • Joanne Rosso; and • Su -E Tan. On a parallel track, the City Attorney's office would initiate amending Ordinance No. 12- 960 to expand the number of Commission seats. This exercise should conservatively take no more than three months to complete, accounting for all public noticing and administrative requirements. It should be noted that with Council concurrence, staff would still move forward as scheduled in seating the five -member Commission. This action would allow the advisory body to complete some critical milestones that: (1) continue timely coordination efforts for the public art installments inclusive of the Rosemead Boulevard Enhancement Project; and (2) allow the drafting of a percent -for -art fee ordinance that establishes a revenue source and tangible public art program budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2013-14. CONCLUSION: The Council is requested to provide direction on the recommendations contained herein to seat its inaugural Public Art Commission. The advisory body will be responsible for implementing a citywide public art program through the establishment of policy and protocols for artwork selection and acquisition, and by defining long-term goals and funding strategies for future public art initiatives. FISCAL IMPACT: There will be a minor financial impact to the FY 2012-13 City Budget in an amount of $3,200 should the Council decide to temporarily expand the size of the Commission. Of this unanticipated cost, $2,000 will be for City Attorney fees associated with amending Ordinance No. 12-960 with the balance to Elwood and Associates for conducting outside panel candidate interviews. Furthermore, should the Council wish to seat an entire and expanded Commission at once, the delays caused by this arrangement may: (1) affect the completion of—and the budget for—the Rosemead Boulevard Enhancement Project; and (2) result in lost public art program revenue by not timely pursuing a percent -for -art fee ordinance. City Council January 10, 2013 Page 7 ATTACHMENTS: A. Commission Applicants/Candidates B. Interview Questions ATTACHMENT A PUBLIC ART COMMISSION APPLICANTS (Angie Kim I (David Ho Platinum Academy I (Hillary Ann Larsen I I Irma Juarez I IJianxin Zhao US Fine Art Education Center I (Joanne Rosso I IKathv Keelin I (Katie Schwehr (Mary Coolman IMarvann Rachford I I IMin Wanq IMin W. Fine Art & School I I Peter Sun I I I Robert Hepler I (Sean Grimaldi (Sophie Yuan Zhuanq I ISu-E Tan ITony Chu (Scott (Zax) Dow I YELLOW HIGHLIGHT INDICATES LATE SUBMITTAL; APPLICANT WILL NOT BE INTERVIEWED ATTACHMENT B INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR PUBLIC ART COMMISSION APPLICANTS 1. Tell the panel your primary reason for applying to be part of the Citys new Public Art Commission. What characteristics do you have that would make you a desirable Commission member? 2. Tell the panel a bit about your previous experience in working on committees or commissions. Include any experience working with non-profit arts or community organizations. 3. What two or three priorities do you think the Commission should address as part of Temple City's new public arts program? 4. If you were describing to an artist a significant cultural or historic fact about Temple City, what would it be? 5. How would you as a Commissioner explain to the community and City Council the need to fund public art and cultural activities in Temple City?