Title
Recommendation to Receive a Report on the Continuation of the Art in City Hall Program. (City Manager 2110)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: David L. Rudat, Interim City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Alameda’s Art in City Hall Program was launched as a pilot program in January 2018 and provides exhibit opportunities for professional and emerging Alameda artists and arts organizations, with the goal of supporting the local arts community, creating a memorable experience for the public, and celebrating Alameda’s diverse history and community.
Since the program launched, it has been well received and is meeting its stated goals. The Public Art Commission (PAC) met in August 2018 to confirm its support of the program and the updated Program Guidelines for 2019. With the changes included in the Discussion below, the City will continue to be able to provide this program with minimal staff involvement.
BACKGROUND
As part of the pilot program, eight artists or arts organizations were selected at random to display their artwork in one of two gallery spaces on the first floor and on the third floor of City Hall. Each gallery space holds four exhibits per year, for a total of eight exhibits in the 2018 pilot year:
Previous Exhibits
January 12-April 12, 2018
1st Floor Featured Artist: Michael Sibio
3rd Floor Featured Artist: Wendy Rabin
April 13-July 12, 2018
1st Floor Featured Artist: Patti Heimburger
3rd Floor Featured Artist: Mtaani Foundation
July 13-October 11, 2018
1st Floor Featured Artist: Alameda on Camera @ the Frank Bette Center for the Arts
3rd Floor Featured Artist: Jennifer Daily
Current Exhibits
October 12, 2018 -January 10, 2019
1st Floor Featured Artist: Federica Colla
3rd Floor Featured Artist: Ani Dimusheva
DISCUSSION
The following are updated Art in City Hall Program Guidelines for 2019. With the changes below, the City will continue to be able to provide this program with minimal staff involvement.
• Reserve one gallery space per display period for arts organizations. Local arts organizations have expressed concern to staff and the PAC about a lack of art exhibition space in Alameda, and requested that a portion of the Art in City Hall program be reserved for arts organizations. As a result, staff is proposing that, for the 2019 Art in City Hall program, one gallery space per display period be reserved for arts organizations, to be chosen at random via public lottery. If there are not sufficient arts organizations to fill the available exhibits, any unfilled opportunities will go to individual artists. Individual artists will continue to be chosen at random via public lottery. This policy can be reviewed prior to the 2020 program year.
• Display exhibit name, artist’s statement and artist contact information during exhibit. Current and previous exhibitors in the Art in City Hall program provided feedback that the exhibit name, artist’s statement and, if desired, artist contact information should be displayed as part of the exhibit. The guidelines were updated to reflect this request. Exhibiting artists and arts organizations will be responsible for providing this information.
• Update exhibit schedule and gallery display capacity. The exhibit schedule was updated for the 2019 calendar year, and each gallery’s capacity to display artwork was expanded to reflect additional hardware acquired during the 2018 program year.
The 2019 program year exhibit schedule is as follows:
• Friday, January 11 - Thursday, April 11, 2019
• Friday, April 12 - Thursday, July 11, 2019
• Friday, July 12 - Thursday, October 10, 2019
• Friday, October 11 - Thursday, January 19, 2020
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no financial impact to the City that would result from receiving this staff report.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action is consistent with the Alameda Municipal Code.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action is not a project for the purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under CEQA guidelines section 15061(b)(3) as there is no possibility that this action may have a significant effect on the environment.
RECOMMENDATION
Receive a report on the continuation of the Art in City Hall Program.
Respectfully submitted,
Sarah Henry, Public Information Officer
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Elena Adair, Finance Director
Exhibit:
1. 2019 Guidelines