TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Steve Powers, City Manager
FROM: Peter Fernandez, PE, Public Works Director
SUBJECT:
title
Salem Public Art Commission Annual Report and Presentation
Ward(s): All Wards
Councilor(s): All Councilors
Neighborhood(s): All Neighborhoods
Result Area(s): Welcoming and Livable Community
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SUMMARY:
summary
The information in the attached report highlights the 2021 accomplishments of the SPAC and status of the Public Art Trust Fund. In addition, the report provides a brief summary of key projects this group intends to work through in the coming year.
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ISSUE:
Informational report to update the City Council on the work of the Salem Public Art Commission.
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Information only.
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FACTS AND FINDINGS:
The Salem Public Art Commission is comprised of seven members with expertise in art, architecture, design and arts management. One member serves from the community at-large. All seven members to the Commission are appointed by the City Council. Since 2018, the Commission has been chaired by Chris D’Arcy, with Commissioner Eileen Cotter Howell serving as Vice Chair. Commissioners include Paula Booth, Rachel Bucci, Michael Hernandez, Kelly James, and Spencer Emerick. A separate Collection Subcommittee convenes periodically to address special needs that arise with the Public Art Collection. (e.g., coordinate label updates, determine new artwork placement options, assess maintenance needs).
The Public Art Commission stewards the Public Art Collection, approves new art acquisitions, and manages, maintains, and periodically deaccessions artwork in the Collection. Salem’s Public Art Collection is valuable. It includes highly respected local and northwest artists and reflects a historical progression of the Salem area. Salem’s public art brings beauty and unique character to our public spaces, and positively impacts quality of life for Salem residents and visitors.
BACKGROUND:
SRC Chapter 15 was drafted with the following purpose: “The Council recognizes that visual arts contribute to and provide experiences that enrich and better the social and physical environment of the community, and desires to foster an advancement of the visual arts within the City. It is the purpose of this chapter, and the policy of the City to dedicate one-half of one percent of the total eligible costs of all improvement projects to the selection, acquisition, fabrication, installation, maintenance, management, deaccessioning, community education, documentation, and registration of public art” (SRC 15.001).
The Public Art Commission was created pursuant to SRC Chapter 15 and is responsible for managing (i.e., maintaining, acquiring, deaccessioning, etc.) all of the “art within the City’s Public Art Collection with funds from the Public Art Trust Fund” (SRC 15.020(d)).
Salem Public Art Commission (SPAC) was established under the authority of Salem Revised Code (SRC) Chapter 15 (Public Art). SRC 15.030(d), states that the Salem Public Art Commission “will report annually to the City Council on the disbursements of funds from the Public Art Trust Fund.” The Salem Public Art Commission’s Policy and Guidelines Manual, Section 4 states “City staff will prepare an Annual Report describing the activities of the Commission for the preceding fiscal year, including revenue received and expenditures made for each work of art. This report shall be approved by the Commission, and staff will file the Annual Report with City Council on or before January 1 of each year.”
Heather Dimke
Management Analyst
Attachments:
1. Salem Public Art Commission 2021 Annual Report
2. Salem Public Art Commission 2021 Presentation