Report Prepared by: Jennifer Flachman, Senior Management Analyst
Title
SUBJECT: Report on Overview of Public Art Administration Models
REPORT IN BRIEF
Report on preliminary research regarding public art administration models.
RECOMMENDATION
Arts and Culture Advisory Commission - Adopt a motion:
A. Establishing a subcommittee; and,
B. Appointing commissioners to a subcommittee.
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve, as recommend by Staff; or,
2. Approve, subject to other than recommended by Staff; or,
3. Deny; or,
4. Refer to Staff for reconsideration of specific items; or,
5. Continue to a future meeting.
AUTHORITY
Arts and Culture Advisory Commission Ordinance #2489, Section 2.54.060 Jurisdiction of the Commission.
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
As provided for in the Council Goals and Priorities.
DISCUSSION
At a previous Arts and Culture Advisory Commission meeting, commissioners requested a review of how other municipalities work with nonprofit arts organizations to support public art projects. The discussion focused on whether these organizations could provide additional capacity for things like artist outreach and selection, community engagement, and project management, while also helping projects maintain momentum between Commission meetings.
Initial research shows there is no single approach used by California cities. Generally, public art programs follow one or a combination of three models:
City-operated: City staff administer public art programs and projects.
Nonprofit partnership: A city partners or contracts with a nonprofit arts organization to administer certain programs or projects.
Hybrid: The city retains its governmental responsibilities while a nonprofit or professional arts organization provides specific services, such as artist outreach, selection coordination, community engagement, or project management.
The California Arts Council recognizes local arts agencies that operate as governmental agencies, nonprofit organizations, or a combination of both. Merced also has an established nonprofit arts community through the Merced County Arts Council and the City's longstanding relationship with the Multicultural Arts Center.
Working with a nonprofit does not replace the City's responsibilities. Requirements related to funding, use of City property, and accountability would continue to apply.
The Arts and Culture Advisory Commission serves in an advisory role and may make recommendations to the City Council. Before staff spends additional time researching specific models, it would be helpful to hear from the Commission about what it believes would make Merced's public art program more effective. This could include project continuity, artist outreach and selection, community engagement, project management, administrative capacity, or how public art projects are administered overall.
Based on that discussion, the Commission may wish to consider whether additional research is needed and whether a subcommittee should be formed to further explore public art administration models and report its findings back to the full Commission.
At this time, staff is not recommending a particular model. This report is intended to provide a high-level overview, begin the discussion, and better understand what the Commission believes should be explored further.
IMPACT ON CITY RESOURCES
None at this time.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Presentation