Title
Presentation on the History of the City of Alameda Public Art Program and a Summary of Lessons Learned
Body
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Initially established in 2003, the City of Alameda's Public Art Program (the Program) has resulted in the installation of 21 public artworks on private development sites. Over the last seven years, the Program has also awarded over $600,000 in public art funding through more than 40 individual grants. This report includes a brief history of the Program, case studies from recent activities, and series of lessons learned to help staff, the Public Art Commission (PAC) and the community best understand how to implement the Program moving forward.
BACKGROUND
The Program began in 2003 with the adoption of Alameda Municipal Code Section 30-98 (the Ordinance) which requires that major development projects dedicate 1% of development costs to public art. The applicant can choose to install the artwork at their development site or can contribute an equivalent amount to the Public Art Fund (the Fund) in lieu of providing the art on-site. The Fund can then only be used by the City to provide or support public art. Artwork installed at the development site is typically referred to as "on-site," while physical artwork funded through the Fund is typically referred to as "off-site."
The Program has grown and evolved in the 21 years since it began, and the goal of this report is to provide the PAC and the Alameda community with a short history, as well as some key lessons learned. These lessons are intended to provide insight into Program activities moving forward, including planning for upcoming grant opportunities and the site selection process.
Program Overview
Although activities have varied over the years, today's Program consists of five main efforts:
* Issuing and administering grants for cultural arts programming and physical art,
* Facilitating the review of on-site public artwork,
* Managing and maintaining th...
Click here for full text