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09/12/2019 Public Art and Design Board Meeting Minutes September 12, 2019 City of Clearwater Main Library- Council Chambers 100 N. Osceola Avenue Clearwater, FL 33755 m ® e Meeting Minutes Thursday, September 12, 2019 2:00 PM Main Library - Council Chambers Public Art and Design Board Page 1 City of Clearwater Public Art and Design Board Meeting Minutes September 12, 2019 Roll Call Present 4 - Chair Jerri Menaul, Board Member Michael Potts, Board Member Karen Cunningham, and Vice Chair Eric Seiler Absent 2 - Board Member Neale A. Stralow, and Board Member Jennifer Barbaro Also Present - Christopher Hubbard - Cultural Affairs Coordinator, Patricia O. Sullivan - Board Reporter 1. Call To Order The Chair called the meeting to order at 2:00 p.m. at the Main Library. To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. 2. Approval of Minutes 2.1 Approve the June 13, 2019 Public Art and Design Board Meeting Minutes. Member Seiler moved to approve the minutes of the June 13, 2018 Public Art & Design Board meeting as submitted in written summation. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 3. Citizens to be Heard Regarding Items Not on the Agenda: None. 4. New Business Items 4.1 Provide direction on draft FY2019/20 Public Art & Design Program annual work plan. Cultural Affairs staff requests direction and comments on draft FY2019/20 Public Art & Design Program annual work plan outlining public art project priorities and funding expenditures for the coming fiscal year. Cultural Affairs Coordinator Christopher Hubbard reviewed FY(Fiscal Year) 2019/20 annual work plan: 1) Police Department's 2-story operations facility project in early stages, funding by Penny for Pinellas/Central Insurance, accessible public art or approximately overall budget of$60,000 to discretionary fund, 2) Imagine Clearwater at Coachman Park (to be known as Clearwater Commons) plans at 30%. Working with City Manager and design firm on large public art component at overall budget of$200,000 cap. Themes and zones being established. Park to be tied to environment and feature native flora. Two phases beginning with Main Library and concert area; Phase 1 construction - approximately 15 to 18 months. Plans to be presented at next meeting, 3) Crest Lake Park plans neared 60%, public art component valued at overall budget of$64,000, most available site for public Page 2 City of Clearwater Public Art and Design Board Meeting Minutes September 12, 2019 art- children's splash pad- softer surface replace concrete or infuse concrete with murals of sea life etc. Crocheted play nets may not be possible due to liability issues, 4) Spectrum/Carpenter field complex player dormitory/recreation facility additions to provide overall budget of$15,500 for public art, working with Phillies to identify prominent location easy to maintain; 5) Ruth Eckerd Hall small enhancements to provide $5,000 for public art i.e. add busts to interior alcoves or preferable exterior art in abutting park or on boardwalk to north, and 6) Clearwater Gas building exterior public art to face Myrtle Avenue or Pinellas Trail. 4.2 Review current Public Art and Design Discretionary Fund balance. As of September 9, 2019, the unencumbered funds available in the Public Art and Design Discretionary Fund had a balance of $109,785.00. 4.3 Provide direction on a draft application and guidelines for Public Art & Design Discretionary Fund grant assistance for projects led by neighborhood and community organizations and arts advocacy agencies. In recent months the Division of Cultural Affairs has received requests for funding assistance from neighborhood and community organizations and arts advocacy agencies. Staff has developed a draft application and guidelines to codify the process of reviewing funding requests and seeks Public Art & Design Board comments on these items. Mr. Hubbard reviewed the proposed process and guidelines. The board will vote on the application and process guidelines at its next meeting. In response to a question, Mr. Hubbard said guidelines would streamline the Skycrest Neighborhood Association's petition to supplement public art at Crest Lake Park. 4.4 Approve a request for staff to access no more than $2,000 (two-thousand dollars) from the Public Art and Design Discretionary Fund for the purpose of providing a machined swirl pattern to the base of the "Learning Tree" sculpture by Douwe Blumburg at the Clearwater Main Library. When the "Learning Tree" sculpture was installed at the Clearwater Main Library in 2016, the sculpture was set with steel I-beams to form the support base of the tree. Library staff requested a base to cover the exposed beams. A stainless-steel base was provided with an unfinished surface. Access to the Public Art and Design Discretionary Fund will provide funding to apply a machined swirl pattern to the base. Mr. Hubbard said the Library had requested machined plates that matched the sculpture. He estimated the project would cost less than $2,0007- Page 00;Page 3 City of Clearwater Public Art and Design Board Meeting Minutes September 12, 2019 all remaining funds would be returned to the discretionary fund. The City will get bids from local contractors for the project. Member Seiler moved to allocate no more than $2,000 from the Public Art and Design Discretionary Fund to install a base with a machined swirl pattern under the "Learning Tree" sculpture at the Main Library. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 5. Old Business Item 5.1 Approve the request from the Clearwater Arts Alliance to fund their proposal for Phase 5 of"Thinking Outside the Box." The Clearwater Arts Alliance is seeking Public Art & Design Discretionary Fund assistance to fund their proposal for Phase 5 of"Thinking Outside the Box." During the Clearwater Arts Alliance's presentation at the June 13, 2019 Public Art and Design Board meeting, members of the Board commented on the need for an application system and equitable means of evaluating signal box art installations, based on the Public Art Master Plan, to ensure equity amongst Clearwater's neighborhoods. Beth Daniels, president of the Clearwater Arts Alliance, reviewed the organization's traffic signal box vinyl wrapping efforts. Based on costs to wrap 25 traffic signal boxes, she requested $9,000 from the Public Art and Design Discretionary Fund to wrap 6 additional boxes through the organization's neighborhood initiative. She said there would be an opportunity to cluster art, such as repeating images on a mural and nearby signal box. Ms. Daniels said she had spoken with Mr. Hubbard and Neighborhood Services Coordinator Juliahna Green re board concerns that Public Art funds be distributed equitably and all neighborhoods have an opportunity to participate. She said the proposal would follow the Public Art Master Plan's direction to create areas of public pride and focus on underserved neighborhoods. She said the application process was simple. She said neighborhood representatives would have an opportunity to contact and work with artists on color, theme, historical issues, etc. She said she would help Mr. Hubbard and Ms. Green rank applications and make certain that wealthier neighborhoods did not get first shot at funding. She said neighborhoods with sufficient funds could sponsor their own traffic signal box vinyl wraps. Ms. Daniels said the Clearwater Arts Alliance had distributed its updated public art walking guide, also available online. She expressed concern the "Learning Tree"sculpture had no identification re its name or artist and recommended the information be etched onto a plate displayed in Page 4 City of Clearwater Public Art and Design Board Meeting Minutes September 12, 2019 front of the art piece. Ms. Daniels was complimented for her efforts on a program that will encourage neighbors to meet each other while aligning with art. It was noted some neighborhoods may need encouragement to participate. Ms. Green referenced underserved neighborhoods: 1) Brookhill, 2) East Gateway, 3) Glen Oaks, 4) Lake Belleview, 5) Milton Park, 6) North Greenwood, 7) Skycrest, 8) Spring Branch, and 9) Sunset Highlands. Many had neighborhood associations. She was working with the North Greenwood neighborhood which did not have a formal organization or a traffic signal box, staff was collaborating with the North Greenwood Recreation Center where neighborhood children had submitted designs. Mr. Hubbard said guidelines and Code required assignment of a representative to shepherd participation in underserved neighborhoods that lacked art advocacy. Member Seiler moved to approve a $9,000 contribution from the Public Art and Design Discretionary Fund to wrap 6 traffic signal boxes through the Clearwater Arts Alliance Phase 5 "Thinking Outside the Box," in collaboration with staff. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 5.2 Review a verbal report from staff on the progress of the public art installation at the Morningside Recreation Complex as designed by artist Guy Kemper. Mr. Hubbard said he was in contact with artist Guy Kemper re the Morningside Recreation Center public art project. A resident spoke in opposition to taxpayer funded public art. Discussion ensued regarding evolution of the Morningside Recreation Center public art project with concerns expressed that the final product was disappointing after all of the work done to design a memorable project. It was stated the board would see if adjustments could be made. 6. Director's Report Mr. Hubbard said he was glad to be working on the City's cultural program. In November, he will gather input from residents regarding the current cultural climate. 7. Board Members to be Heard: None. Page 5 City of Clearwater Public Art and Design Board 8. Adjourn Meeting Minutes September 12, 2019 The meeting adjourned at 3:15 p.m. Page 6 City of Clearwater & Design Advisory Board