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  • From: "Frank Webb" <frankwebb AT nc.rr.com>
  • To: "'Pamela Pease'" <ppease AT paintboxpress.com>, "'Steve Wright'" <swright AT townofchapelhill.org>
  • Cc: chpac-staff AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Chpac-staff] priorities memo
  • Date: Tue, 20 Nov 2007 21:03:04 -0500

Let me respond to Pam and then give my own comments.

 

Very hard to disagree with your position, Pam. Perhaps the paragraph does leave us vulnerable to budget cuts in these key areas that, as you say, really get people involved. In the past we have (among ourselves only) discussed the potential for getting sponsors to take on the community art and artist-in-residence programs but this might be easier said than done. I do not know if this idea has ever been presented formally, for example in association with our proposed budget.

 

Trying to be realistic about the chance of budget cuts, can we communicate that we are prepared to consider reprogramming in the event of budgetary constraints but not indicate in what way. In that case, how about the following alternative ending for paragraph 3

 

 

  1. Various components of the town population regularly express their enthusiasm about current ingredients of the municipal public art program, such as the Community Art Project, Sculpture Visions, and the Artists in Residence at the Public Schools.  Those appealing programs should be continued.  If limitations in or redirections of available town resources occur, concerted efforts should be made to identify alternative sponsors for those programs.  In the event of budgetary restrictions, some reprogramming might be possible, although we would be reluctant to jeopardize programs that have met with such public support.


And now for my own comments.

 

My understanding is that we have submitted a detailed budget to the town for the current fiscal year but that we have not yet discussed as a whole the budget for the next fiscal year, 2008-09. In the absence of such a discussion, we must assume that next year will continue current priorities. Accordingly, I would expect this memorandum to reflect the sort of priorities that resulted from the very successful retreat that we had in the early summer and to address priorities within the framework of our current budget. Perhaps my memory does not serve me well but I do not recall placing item #2 (increased publicity/public outreach) ahead of time #3 (the programs themselves). Nor do I recall discussion of item 4 by CHPAC (low-cost studio and exhibition space for local artists), although I have not been able to come to all meetings. Lastly, although we have talked internally in some forums about a ‘sculpture park’, possibly situated in Pritchard Park, I do not recall that having been enshrined in our formal planning or submissions to the town.

 

In short, anything that has not been discussed and endorsed by the full CHPAC should not be in the memo. If all of this has been discussed and endorsed in my absence, then please disregard my remarks.

 

Frank


From: chpac-staff-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:chpac-staff-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Pamela Pease
Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2007 5:14 PM
To: Steve Wright
Cc: chpac-staff AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [Chpac-staff] priorities memo

 

Hi,

My response, predictably, is to Item 3.

While I am pleased that the topic of these community-based programs has been raised in this memo, I would prefer stressing the importance of continuing Town support for these (or similar) initiatives which actually reach the citizens of our community in meaningful ways. If Town administration thinks it would be easy to spin these programs off and find alternative sponsorship, I assume they will take the path of least resistance and allow that to be their fate.

The Town's approach to public art should be comprehensive, and consist of more than just Percent for Art. Spinning these programs off requires money (and yet another group of volunteers trying to raise it), as well as a group of people willing to spend time launching the programs in a new format.
Into how many pieces do we want to splinter the town's existing arts advocates?

I would suggest we strike the last sentence of Item 3. Do any other commission members share my point of view on this?


Thanks,
Pam Pease



On Nov 20, 2007, at 4:55 PM, Steve Wright wrote:


Dear CHPAC,


 


Please find attached and pasted below a memo from Dick and a draft memo to be sent to Mayor Foy December 15.  Hardcopies of these documents have also been mailed to you.  If you do have specific suggestions for the draft please send them to me electronically if possible.


 


Thanks,


 


Steve


 


 
 
November 20, 2007
 
 
TO:                  CHPAC Members
FROM:            Dick Robinson
 
In a recent memorandum, Mayor Foy asked all town boards and commissions to list their priorities for the 2008-2009 fiscal year.  In spite of the pending discontinuation of our functional relationship with town government, the Town Manager has expressed to me his view that our contribution to the Town Council’s preliminary consideration of budget projections would be welcome and useful.  Accordingly, would you please review the attached draft response and share your suggestions with Steve Wright at your early convenience.  The response to the Mayor is due December 15.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DRAFT
November 20, 2007
MEMORANDUM
 
TO:                  Mayor Foy
FROM:            The Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission
RE:                  Municipal Public Art in 2008-2009
 
This responds to your request for preliminary identification of future public art programming goals, in anticipation of budget projections for the 2008-2009 fiscal year.
 
We address that contribution to town planning from an unusual vantage point.  As you know, the Commission is an independent charitable organization that during the last four year has had the privilege of functioning as a so-called special commission of the town, collaboratively assisting in the implementation of the municipal public art program.  Our activities in that capacity soon will be displaced by a new town infrastructure consisting of a Public Arts Administrator and a town advisory commission.  Although that new arrangement will be implemented before the next fiscal year begins and we thereafter will have no role in administering the town program, we hope that sharing these suggestions based on our accumulated knowledge and experience will prove to be useful to the new administrative structure, as plans for the future of public art are formulated.
 
1.  The first priority should be the adoption and implementation of those provisions of the proposed “Chapel Hill Public Art Contextual Plan” that the Town Council determines to be desirable and feasible.  Active consideration of that important blueprint for enlarging and enhancing the municipal commitment to public art has been deferred for too long.  The plan suggests three primary initiatives:  (a) Increasing the resources available to augment the beneficial impact of the Percent For Art Ordinance and to improve its administration; (b) adopting town policies and procedures designed to insure that all relevant town departments give meaningful consideration to opportunities for including public art components within their respective areas of activity; and (c) promoting participation by the private sector in efforts to enhance our community with publicly accessible art.  With those additions to the commendable public art foundation already in existence, Chapel Hill could achieve prominence as a civic environment truly distinguished by its public art.
 
2.  Increased resources are needed to support a more effective strategy for insuring that Chapel Hill’s citizens are engaged with and appreciate and support public art as an integral feature of the community experience.  For example, public forums designed to solicit community sentiment should be incorporated into the process for planning Percent For Art projects and envisioning other new opportunities for public art; distinguished public artists should be invited to Chapel Hill for public events at which they would share their visions about public art opportunities in our municipal context; information about and arranged tours of existing public art installations should be made available to residents and visitors; larger and more suitable venues for the display of art exhibitions should be developed.
 
3.  Various components of the town population regularly express their enthusiasm about current ingredients of the municipal public art program, such as the Community Art Project, Sculpture Visions, and the Artists in Residence at the Public Schools.  Those appealing programs should be continued.  If limitations in or redirections of available town resources occur, concerted efforts should be made to identify alternative sponsors for those programs.
 
4.  The town should explore ways in which it appropriately could support efforts to attract and retain a growing cadre of local practicing artists, by providing low-cost studio and exhibition space.  The non-profit “ArtSpace” facility in the City of Raleigh is an example that might be emulated in Chapel Hill.  Such a colony of artists would constitute both an enlarged potential source of publicly exhibited artwork and a “visitor destination” feature of our town.
 
5.  Finally, there is a specific project that could capitalize on the initiatives described in items 1. (b) and (c), above.  In connection with current plans to develop the town’s Pritchard Park, a portion of that space could be dedicated to function as a sculpture garden.  Pritchard Park is one of very few areas in Chapel Hill’s geography readily adaptable to the effective permanent display of multiple pieces of major artwork.  Establishing such a site could generate interest among private individuals and charitable organizations in commissioning or purchasing sculptural artwork for the garden, as gifts to the town.
 
As we conclude our very gratifying association with the Town of Chapel Hill, we take this opportunity to express the hope that public art in our hometown will continue to flourish and proliferate, as a prominent and exciting feature of our community experience.
 
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