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09/09/2021 Public Art and Design Board Meeting Minutes September 9, 2021 City of Clearwater Main Library- Council Chambers 100 N. Osceola Avenue Clearwater, FL 33755 m s Meeting Minutes Thursday, September 9, 2021 2:00 PM Main Library - Council Chambers Public Art and Design Board Pagel City of Clearwater Public Art and Design Board Meeting Minutes September 9, 2021 Roll Call Present 5 - Chair Neale A. Stralow, Vice Chair Jerri Menaul, Board Member Eric Seiler, Board Member Jonathan Barnes, and Board Member Brianne Roberts Absent 2 - Board Member Danny Olda, and Board Member Gregory Byrd 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 minutes of the June 10, 2021 Public Art and Design Board Meeting. Member Menaul moved to approve the minutes of the June 10, 2021 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 Clearwater Arts Alliance President Beth Daniels reported the Alliance had decorated 6 neighborhood signal boxes, meeting Public Art & Design grant requirements. She said progressive art walks were paired with downtown evening Sip and Strolls. She invited Board Members on a special tour of chalk art in October. Allison Dolan, of the Clearwater Historical Society, invited the public to visit the Clearwater Historical Society Museum and Cultural Center on October 30, 2021 during Clearwater Halloween Weekend activities. 4. New Business Items 4.1 Review a report on arts and culture initiatives in Downtown Clearwater. With the indefinite closure of Cleveland Street, numerous arts and culture initiatives have been adopted by the City, CRA, Clearwater Arts Alliance, and the Downtown Clearwater Merchant's Association. These initiatives include the Downtown Mural Program Phase II, monthly Art Walks, and barricade murals. Cultural Affairs Coordinator Christopher Hubbard said in September, murals will be painted live on barricades on the 500 block of Cleveland to coincide Page2 City of Clearwater Public Art and Design Board Meeting Minutes September 9, 2021 with the Art Alliances'monthly art walk. The rotating wearable art exhibit, funded by the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency), will continue to spruce up vacant store fronts through the end of the year. 5. Old Business Items 5.1 Review an update on the status of the Cultural Arts Strategic Plan. The strategic planning consultant, Designing Local, has produced a formal document for City Council review. It will be presented at the September 13 Work Session and September 16 City Council Meeting. The Plan lays out a roadmap of 7 strategies to elevate the standing of Clearwater as an arts-friendly city that values and supports a robust investment in the arts and culture as a social, cultural, and economic catalyst. Each strategy has specific action items that provide programmatic guidance and implementation strategies to guide the development and enhancement of the City's programs and partnerships for the next 5 - 7 years. Mr. Hubbard provided a PowerPoint presentation on the plan's proposed strategies and actions: 1) Strengthen neighborhood identities by investment in public art at neighborhood level, 2) Expand public art funding by reinstating Percent for Art in Private Development Ordinance, 3) Invest in iconic public art in strategic locations to bolster public art experience, 4) Strengthen existing programs and City departments by expanding offerings and injecting creativity, 5) Implement programs that unify the arts and culture sector visions toward the same goal, 6) Define spaces in Clearwater where art investments can be concentrated for maximum effect, and 7) Support neighborhoods through broadening and diversifying arts experiences. In response to questions, Mr. Hubbard said the budget for implementation funds was extended for 5 years. He will report on the new City Attorney's review of Strategy 2. The location for Strategy 3 was aspirational; areas without access to public art will be targeted first. 5.2 Review an update on a grant application to Bloomberg Philanthropies for a mural at Cherry Harris Park. Earlier this year city staff applied for grant funding for a community mural through the Bloomberg Philanthropies Asphalt Art Initiative. Funding determinations are to be made this fall. Mr. Hubbard said the grant's status should be announced in November. Without the grant, the updated strategic plan may fund the project. The mural's bright colors will bring vibrancy and life to the park and highlight safety at its access point. 5.3 Review the current Public Art Fund balance. Page3 City of Clearwater Public Art and Design Board Meeting Minutes September 9, 2021 As of September 3, 2021, the Public Art Fund balance is $156,715 and can be used for commissions, special initiatives, and grants. 5.4 Review a grant funding request by the Clearwater Historical Society for a mural to be located at the Clearwater Historical Society Museum and Cultural Center on the former South Ward Elementary campus. Allison Dolan will present an updated request. Ms. Dolan said the Historical Society had worked with the Clearwater Arts Alliance for a mural location, the Art Deco design on the 3-story building would frame the mural. She said artist Tom Boatright was contracted to design a mural, it resembles a historic postcard featuring the essence of Clearwater. She said the Board of Directors had invested$3,000 to this point. She said once the Board approves a final design, the organization will be ready to move forward with the mural, estimated to cost $10,000. The Clearwater Historical Society was complimented for their initiative and mural design rich with Clearwater history. A copy of the final design was requested. It was recommended the mural contract require weathering protection for the paint. 5.5 Review an update on the Crest Lake Park public art project. Artist Donald Gialanella is nearing completion of the project sculptures. He has provided concrete pad dimensions to be produced by City tradesworkers. City staff requests access to Public Art Funds to create a water-based pad to mount the dragonfly. This is a one-time request. Mr. Hubbard said he had walked Crest Lake Park with Artist Donald Gialanella to choose appropriate sites for the sculptures based on their association with the environment. He discussed the pieces and proposed locations. Mr. Gialanella had bolstered the dragonfly with extra support. In response to a concern that a dragonfly in the lake could tempt children to enter the water and try to ride the sculpture, Mr. Hubbard said an alligator warning sign would be nearby and the sculpture would be far enough from shore to dissuade access while being visible from multiple locations in the park. Discussion ensued with comments that the Board should take a field trip to the park, signage should feature pixel codes to access artist information, and sculptures should be close to walkways and not in open spaces where they would obstruct unstructured play. Mr. Hubbard said he will work with the Parks & Recreation Department on educational placards re the sculptures and ecosystem. Page4 City of Clearwater Public Art and Design Board Meeting Minutes September 9, 2021 5.6 Review an update on the Fire Station 46 public art project. A Call to Artists has been developed and released with a closing date of October 11, 2021. The Call was delayed to incorporate dimensional boundaries and placement to ensure proper integration into the site and maximum visibility. Mr. Hubbard said staff was working to balance public art with the facility's architecture. While one version suggested a 25-foot tower of glass or light, a shorter version probably will be recommended. The Call to Artists could require a design that would fit the site. He suggested a glass infographic tower featuring donated domestic and international fire patches could be located between the station and Mandalay Avenue. Discussion ensued with concern expressed that the public art piece had changed substantially since first proposed and the tower, which resembled an obelisk or campus security box, did not represent fire patches or tie into the building's design and would not encourage public congregation. Suggestions were made for the tower to project 3-D images or large thematic lighting that changes color onto the building's horizontal lines, a tower with an interesting shape, perhaps round, or a glass panel under the overhang, out of the weather with backlit etched messages could cover large blank spaces on the building's fagade. It was stated the art piece should not be too bulky and obscure the building. Concerns were expressed that the public art be durable enough to withstand hurricane winds and few artists knew how to work with glass close to salt water. It was felt the proposed bicycle rack created a barrier to the building's symmetry. Mr. Hubbard will work with the architect re ideal dimensions for the art piece. Mr. Hubbard was complimented for integrating the public art into the fire station rather than the art appearing to be an afterthought. 5.7 Review an update on the Downtown Clearwater Mural Program Phase II. All three murals (DAAS, Lueza, and Lindo-Lawyer) have been installed and all received positive public sentiment. Underground construction work and minor delamination of the paint surface has occurred on the Lueza mural. Staff has met with the artist and is developing a budget and timeline for repairs. Mr. Hubbard said drone footage captured the mural's creation. Its bright pop of color was engaging and softened the Cleveland Street/Garden Avenue intersection. The mural has been heavily used. Some delamination of the surface occurred. Staff met with the artist and was developing a budget and timeline for repairs. St. Petersburg had mitigated damage to a mural painted on a road surface made of different materials. Significant public interaction Page5 City of Clearwater Public Art and Design Board Meeting Minutes September 9, 2021 also occurred at the other two downtown murals. 5.8 Review an update on the Clyde Butcher gallery at the Main Library. Contracting and design are underway. Mr. Hubbard said the Clyde Butcher Everglades exhibit will run through May 31, 2022. Mr. Butcher will give a talk, attend a book signing, and interact with the media at the exhibit's grand opening on November 6, 2021. The exhibit will be a cultural attractor. Library space reconfigured with movable walls for this exhibit will remain in place for future gallery shows. It was recommended the City encourage local students to attend. 6. Director's Report Mr. Hubbard said the City was pursuing designation as a Certified Local Government which will provide access to more grants and increase future funding opportunities. Mr. Hubbard reported he had started teaching art 2 nights a week at the University of Tampa. He was applauded for his efforts. 7. Board Members to be Heard 8. Adjourn In response to a question, Mr. Hubbard said the panel for public art at the new Countryside Police Department had not yet convened. Member Menaul reviewed activities planned for Clearwater Halloween Weekend. The meeting adjourned at 3:20 p.m. ..0,..,2_,. Attest: / Chair - c Art & Design Advisory Board Board Repo Page6 City of Clearwater