HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009 - Art In Public Places Board - Annual ReportART IN PUBLIC PLACES BOARD
2009 ANNUAL REPORT
BACKGROUND
The Art in Public Places Board held their first meeting in July of 1995. The APP board meetings are being held the
third Wednesday of each month at 3:30 p.m. at the Lincoln Center.
Members who served in 2009 were Liliane Francuz, Shelby Sommer, Lee Needham, Jane Nevrivy, Craig Russell,
Ray Tollison, and York. Liliane Francuz served as Chairperson and Jane Nevrivy served as Vice-Chair.
ADMINISTRATION, POLICIES & GUIDELINES
The APP Board continues to devote time to identifying ways in which policies will be administered in specific
projects.
The Art in Public Places Program was reviewed by City Council at a February Work Session and determined the
program would move forward without change. Council requested a mid year update, which was presented. Council
also suggested that APP promote the program with an exhibition. An exhibit highlighting the work and projects of
the APP program opened in the Lincoln Center galleries in May of 2009.
City Council also met with the APP Board at a Work Session for a board & commissions Periodic Review.
The board gained helpful knowledge from the staff’s attendance of the Public Art Session at the Americans for the
Arts Conference.
SPECIAL PROJECTS
The APP Board continues to seek opportunities for art in community gateways and Utility projects that support the
goals of the Utility.
APP has been collaborating with the Downtown Development Authority on several exciting projects for the city.
For more details, see “Community Outreach.”
DESIGN CONSULTANT LIST
The APP Board selected 16 visual artists to be placed on the city’s Design Consultant Resource List. These Design
Consultants work with city departments and design teams to integrate art into city construction projects.
1% PROJECTS (Completed)
Power Trail Paver by K Mallory Council Tree Library installation by B. Baer Transformer Cabinet Mural by K. Savage
• Northside Aztlan Pumphouse and Transformer Cabinet Project was presented to the board by N.
Aztlan staff. Artist Barry Quinton Lee was selected in an open call to design and execute murals on the
pumphouse and transformer cabinet on site. Youth from the Aztlan Center were involved in the painting of
both murals.
• Pedestrian Paver Project is an ongoing project with the City’s Engineering Department. This is the
seventh competition for this program. The board recommended an open competition to solicit drawings
from Fort Collins students’ ages 3-18. Fifteen paver designs were selected, sandblasted in granite and have
been placed in City sidewalks. The program has created and installed 91 pavers to date.
• Power Trail Paver Project produced fifteen granite pavers to be placed in the trail. The pavers were
sandblasted with local kids’ drawings, in the style of APP’s Pedestrian Paver project. The Parks
Department will set the pavers into the new concrete for the Southern extension of the Power Trail, to be
completed in 2010.
• Red Fox Meadows Natural Area Project team selected artist Barb McKee to work with the team and
develop concepts for the site. The second phase of this project is complete. The artist designed, created
and delivered concrete form liners for this site. The form liners were used on ten walls and are also
available for city Utilities to use in the future.
• S.E. Branch Library Project team worked with artist Barbara Baer on artistic elements for this site. The
artist fabricated and created an installation of painted metal, language-based symbols for the library lobby,
as well as custom bicycle racks placed outside the entrance.
• Soapstone Prairie Natural Area Project team selected artist Robert Tully from the APP pre-approved list
of artists. The artist fabricated and installed a series of stone cairns, a stone and metal entryway sign, and
several hand carved stone inserts for the Linenmeier Overlook Structure. The artist also collaborated with
the design team on the design of the picnic shelter and overlook roofs.
• Transformer Cabinet Mural Project is an ongoing project in which the APP program is working with
Utilities Light and Power. 2009 was the fourth year for the program. Local artists were selected to paint
murals on transformer cabinets that Utilities staff identified as frequent targets of graffiti. This year, eleven
artists painted murals on twenty cabinets. Sixty cabinets have been painted, overall. This project has a very
high success rate at mitigating graffiti on the painted cabinets and is estimated to save Utilities/city $700 a
month per cabinet in abatement costs. This project has also been an effective model for other communities,
like Loveland, who are now adopting the program.
• Wayfinding Project team, comprised of staff from the Advanced Planning Department, selected artist
Andy Dufford to work with them on the design phase of this project.
1% PROJECTS (Pending)
• Fort Collins Discovery Museum Project is creating a new building and partnership between the Fort
Collins Museum and the Discovery Science Center. APP is working with the project team to develop the
goals for the APP project. An open call for artists will be distributed nationally to find an artist who can
work with the project team from the early design stages through the completion of the project, slated for
2012.
• Fossil Creek Water Rehab Project team selected artist Andy Dufford to work with them on developing
concepts for art for this site. The artist will install the work in 2010.
• Lincoln Center Project team selected artist Barbara Baer to be involved in this renovation project. The
artist is currently meeting with the design team to develop concepts for art for this project.
• Mason Transportation Corridor Project team is working with the APP Program to develop the process
and concepts for art to further enhance and support this project. Artist Robert Tully has been selected to
work with the project team and develop art elements that are the functional components of the corridor.
• The APP program is currently working on two North College projects, helping to create a vision for the
corridor. The Planning Department had previously met with the APP Board to outline the various gateways
to the city and options to work together as a team:
• North College Entryway is the first project. Artist Howard Kalish was selected from an open competition.
With collaboration from DDA, the artist will start working with the project team in the near future.
• North College Improvement Project is the second N. College project. Artist Andy Dufford was selected
for this project from the Design Consultant Resource List. The artist has begun meeting with the project
team to develop concepts for the art at this site.
• An Old Town Location for an iconic art piece is being considered by the APP Board. They are working
toward selecting a site and defining the budget and artist selection process for this project. This project is
currently on hold.
• Pickle Plant Project has artist Robert Tully and the project team refining the concepts for this site. This
project team is developing a concept that creates a gateway into Old Town, reflects the historical
significance of the site and highlights renewable energy. This project is currently on hold.
• Poudre River Wall is a project in which both Utilities and Natural Resources staff proposed working on
an APP mural. This site continues to be marked with graffiti and has become a continual maintenance
issue. APP will create an open competition to select an artist for this project.
• Registry Ridge Park is a project with the Parks Department. The team has selected artist Patrick Marold
to work with them on a site-specific piece for this park project. The artist is currently working with the
team to develop concepts for the site.
• Water Quality Box Project team selected artist Andy Dufford for this project from the Design Consultant
Resource List. The artist has begun meeting with the project team from Utilities to begin the design phase.
These artist designed boxes will house Utility water quality testing equipment in an educational and artistic
manner. This project will be completed in 2010.
• Watersway Park Project team, from the Parks Department, selected artist Robert Tully who has been
working with the team to develop concepts for this site. The artist will fabricate this work in 2010.
• West Harmony Road Project team from the City Engineering Department selected artist Christopher
Weed to create a gateway concept for the art at this site. The concept has been approved by the APP Board
and will need to be approved by City Council. This project is currently on hold.
DONATIONS
• Northside Aztlan Community Center was the recipient of an art donation by the Northern Colorado
Multicultural Corporation. Created by artist Anne Bossert, the large wall piece was installed on the
stairwell wall in the facility.
• The Rock Garden, a local business, donated a stone water feature that was placed on the South side of the
Mulberry Pool building, with the parks department placing decorative plantings around it.
• Transformer Cabinet Sponsor Agreement is a process for individuals and businesses to donate a
transformer cabinet mural to the city. The APP Program worked with Utilities to create it and will further
promote this new program.
• “Transcend,” the marble sculpture at the South end of Old Town Square, was accepted by the APP board
and City Council as a donation to the city. The Downtown Development Authority will relocate the
sculpture to the Southwest corner of Mason and Maple streets.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROJECTS and AWARDS
APP Program Exhibition A Soapstone Prairie shelter designed in part by R.Tully Art in Action with L.Cameron
• At the request of City Council, APP curated an exhibit promoting the Art in Public Places Program. The
APP Exhibit was on display in the Lincoln Center galleries, highlighting the program, specific projects,
the DDA paver competition and the work of our local transformer cabinet artists.
• An Award of Merit, from the Rocky Mountain Associated Builders and Contractors, was given to the
Soapstone Prairie Natural Area in recognition of the artist designed shelter roofs.
• The APP program promoted their Transformer Cabinet Project with informational flyers at the Visitor’s
and Convention Bureau and the APP website.
• A Bike Hike to visit APP sites was coordinated by an APP Board Member and Colorado Mountain Club as
one of the activities for Bike Month.
• APP staff gave a public presentation at the Poudre River Arts Center, on the process and projects of the Art
in Public Places program.
• APP assisted Mountain Properties, LLC in the selection of an artist for their Enzio’s Art on the Wall
project.
• The Art in Public Places Program developed a new partnership with the Downtown Development
Authority:
APP collaborated with DDA on the “Art in Action” project in Old Town Square. This project had a local
artist creating artwork in Old Town Square during the summer of 2009. The artwork that artist Lisa
Cameron created will be installed in its permanent location in one of the alley improvement projects in
2010. APP hopes to continue this collaboration with DDA on future “Art in Action” projects.
• The APP program is collaborating on the DDA Paver Project. Approximately 60 kids’ drawings will be
selected and sandblasted into granite pavers. These pavers will be installed in the three downtown alley
enhancement projects.
• APP also facilitated the process to select artists for the DDA Alley Enhancement projects. An artist was
selected for each of the three alley projects currently in design.
• APP staff members continue to give support to private businesses in the community. Staff assists with
providing information on processes for acquiring art and contacts with artists.
• The APP webpage, www.fcgov.com/artspublic, continues to be updated with new projects and project
descriptions.
• The website includes printable maps of the Pedestrian Pavers, the Transformer Cabinet Mural Project, and
APP art locations throughout the city.
PUBLICITY
The Northern Colorado Business Report published an article about the Transformer Cabinet Mural Project.
A blog on the Beet Street E-Newsletter featured a story about the Transformer Cabinet Mural Project.
The Fort Collins Coloradoan printed an article about the Transformer Cabinet Mural Project.
Fiber Arts Magazine published a photograph and information on the Northside Aztlan Community Center donation.
The Fort Collins Coloradoan printed a photograph of the Art in Action project.
MAINTENANCE
The program continues to maintain the APP collection, notably, dealing with the increase in graffiti that has been
seen throughout the city.