Item B: Public Art Master Plan Update

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ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Work Session: Public Art Master Plan Update Meeting Date: September 12, 2012 Agenda Item Number: B Department: Library, Recreation & Cultural Services Staff Contact: Isaac Marquez www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 541-682-2057 ISSUE STATEMENT This work session is an opportunity to provide an update on the progress of the Public Art Master Plan. Finalized in January 2010, the plan articulates the vision for the future of public art in Eugene, provides policies, priorities and criteria for establishing strategic decision-making and a framework for facilitating the plan. BACKGROUND The City has a strong history of providing high quality public art to its citizens and enhancing the creative image of the city. Prior to adoption of the original Percent for Arts Ordinance in 1981 and continuing through the present, City staff, community leaders and local and national artists have worked to create, collect and display public art. The result is a public art collection that is as eclectic and compelling as the character of Eugene itself. To demonstrate a commitment to the value of arts and culture, the council unanimously adopted the Cultural Policy Review Report (http://issuu.com/cityofeugenerecreation/docs/cultural_policy_review, a ) 10-year cultural plan, in July 2007. Goal five of the plan is, “To integrate arts and culture into the fabric of downtown Eugene and other neighborhoods as part of a comprehensive strategy of revitalization.” One of the priority strategies for achieving this goal called for the development of a Public Art Master Plan, “to successfully and strategically plan for the City’s public art collection and related processes.” In 2009, assisted by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, Eugene began work on a plan to review, reshape and redirect the public art program. The project was directed by the Eugene Public Art Committee and a 14-member steering committee. The purpose of the City of Eugene Public Art Program is to foster arts and the development of artists, and provide experiences that enrich and better the social and physical environment. The mission of the Public Art Committee is to insure that the City’s Public Art Collection is of the highest quality and, when possible, of historical significance and that the Visual Arts Programs of the City of Eugene be managed with integrity, consistency and in a professional manner. In 2005, the Public Art Program gained significant momentum in its mission with the reinstatement of the Public Art Committee after a long hiatus. The advisory committee reviews proposals for the purchase and location of public art. The Public Art Committee has worked diligently to develop and S:\CMO\2012 Council Agendas\M120912\S120912B.doc