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  • From: Scott Radway <scott AT radwaydesign.com>
  • To: Richard Robinson <rhrjr AT webtv.net>, Steve Wright <swright AT townofchapelhill.org>
  • Cc: chpac-staff AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Chpac-staff] TOC Art
  • Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2007 12:44:59 -0400

I don't know if the biblio list for chpac actually will go to all or not - anyway
Some thoughts below:  


"Following the September 10 ceremony dedicating the new
Chapel Hill Town Operations Center, there have been several editorials and published
letters critical of the public arwork that was included in
that capital improvement project.  In addition, there have been letters supporting
both the inclusion of art in public facilities projects and specifically
endorsing the placement of the two works of art at the TOC and proximate to the 50% of
town employees that daily deliver important services to the community.

It is gratifying to learn that, in spite of the various complaints
about this project, most of the comentators appear to endorse the basic
premise that enhancing our shared public space with appealing artwork is
a legitimate and desirable civic undertaking.

When public art projects are desired and proposed, important questions about the
nature, location and cost of the artwork will arise and must be
addressed with care.  The challenge, always, is to seek civic art and design that
serves the broad community and those most closely associated with the new facilities.
In this instance,
those of us involved in the decision-making process believe this public art and its accessibility to
town employees, and town residents that have reason to visit these facilities for community meetings
or other purposes, is appropriate and responsible.  Others who have spoken about this matter
think some other location and type of art would have been more appropriate. (While many of us would deem
civic art within a courthouse facilities as appropriate, most of us hope never to visit the inside of such a facility.)
I am confident that as Chapel Hill grows and has additional opportunities for public art we will benefit in the
future from careful consideration of the concerns that have been expressed."









On Sep 20, 2007, at 11:37 AM, Richard Robinson wrote:


Dear Commission Members,

In view of the continuing, publicly aired controversy about the TOC
artwork, I have addressed the following letter to the Chapel Hill News,
in which I seek to convey a somewhat conciliatory tone, in the hope that
this adverse publicity may abate.

"In the aftermath of the September 10 ceremony dedicating the  new
Chapel Hill Town Operations Center, there have been several published
accounts of negative reactions to the public arwork that was included in
that capital improvement project.

While it will not address other cited reservations nor fully ameliorate
one particular source of dissatisfaction, it may be useful to correct a
recurring misperception that underlies one of the complaints expressed
about the art at the Center.  The articles and letters published to date
erroneously assume that the $420,616 budget for art was met in full with
Town resources.  In fact, the cost to the Town was $258,342, with the
remainder addressed by grants from the Federal Transit Administration
and the North Carolia Department of Transportation.

It is gratifying to learn that, in spite of their various complaints
about this project, most of the comentators appear to endorse the basic
premise that enhancing our shared public space with appealing artwork is
a legitimate and desirable municipal undertaking.

When public art projects are proposed, important questions about the
nature, location and cost of the artwork likely will arise and must be
addressed with care.  The challenge, always, is to seek consensus that
can attract an appropriate measure of public support.  In this instance,
those of us involved in the decision-making process failed to satisfy
some of our fellow citizens.  I am confident that we will benefit in the
future from careful consideration of the concerns that have been
expressed." 

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