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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report, Azusa Art Box ProgramITEM C TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL VIA: DON PENMAN, INTERIM CITY MANAGER FROM: KURT CHISTIANSEN, FAICP, ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR DATE: OCTOBER 23, 2017 SUBJECT: DISCUSSION AND DIRECTION REGARDING THE GUIDELINES AND REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AZUSA ART BOX PROGRAM SUMMARY: The City received a proposal from Azusa Beautiful to establish a Utility Box Art Pilot Project, which shall be called Azusa Art Box Program. The program proposes to commission local artist(s) to create temporary art work on up to seven (7) City owned utility boxes along Azusa Avenue between 5th and 9th Streets. A number of cities throughout Southern California have adopted similar programs. In several of these cities, including Los Angeles, Glendale, Burbank, and Monrovia, the program is coordinated by an arts commission or committee. Staff has identified seven (7) potential utility boxes in the designated area that could be used for this pilot program. The Project would be open to local and regional professional artists, professional artist teams and arts organizations that live, work or operate in Azusa or the greater Los Angeles County area. On June 5, 2017, the City Council directed Staff to convene the Art in Public Spaces Commission to develop guidelines and requirements for implementing the proposed Azusa Art Box Program on Azusa Avenue between 5th Street and 9th Street. On October 4, 2017, the Art in Public Places Commission recommended approval to the City Council of the Azusa Art Box Program Guidelines and Requirements. The Azusa Art Box Program Guidelines and Requirements are City wide and will be applied to any future art work installed on utility boxes. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the City Council take the following action: 1)Discuss and provide direction regarding the proposed Guidelines and Requirements for the Azusa Art Box Program. APPROVED CITY COUNCIL 10/23/2017 Special Meeting Azusa Art Box Program October 23, 2017 Page 2 of 2 DISCUSSION: The City would like to design a program to support public art programs and to enhance the community and neighborhoods through the use of murals. The program, Azusa Art Box Program, would enhance the aesthetics of the City, promote civic pride, increase pedestrian activity and showcase public art in various areas of the City. The program goal is to bring beauty to unexpected places such as public utility boxes. This program will act as a form of economic development for the City. The murals on the utility box will complement the revitalization of the Downtown and enhance the pedestrian experience. The City would create a Walking Art Box Tour brochure within the Downtown. The following are five ways a community can improve by having a utility box art program: 1) Promote interaction in public spaces; 2) Increase civic participation through celebrations; 3) Engage youth in the community; 4) Promote the power and preservation of place. FISCAL IMPACT: The proposed recommendation does not have any fiscal impact. The cost for the seven utility boxes in Downtown will be $6,000.00. Azusa Beautiful has agreed to donate $3,000.00 to fund part of the program, and the balance of $3,000 will be paid by the City. There are sufficient revenues to cover the requested amount of $3,000 under 28-35-611-002-4899. The Art fund was established per Azusa Municipal Code 88.39.090, which supports Art in Public Places. Upon Council approval, Staff will prepare a budget amendment under 28-35-611-002-6399. Prepared by: Reviewed by: Manuel Muñoz Kurt Christiansen, FAICP Associate Planner Economic and Community Development Director Fiscal Reviewed by: Reviewed and Approved by: Talika M. Johnson Louie F. Lacasella Director of Finance Senior Management Analyst Reviewed and Approved: Don Penman Interim City Manager Attachments: 1) Draft Azusa Art Box Program Guidelines and Requirements AZUSA ART BOX PROGRAM GUIDELINES & REQUIREMENTS Artist Stipend The Art in Public Places Commission will fund $850.00 per utility box, inclusive of all Artist’s fees, paints and materials. Eligibility This program is open to all local and regional artists. The Commission encourages applications from both new and established artists. Azusa applicants may be given preference if all else is equal. Artists may apply as an individual artist or as a group. For group submissions, a signed Release of Liability and Indemnity Agreement for each participating artist must be included in addition to the application form and design template. Group submissions may be for a single utility box or multiple utility boxes. Selection Process & Criteria Submissions will be reviewed by a selection committee consisting of Art in Public Places Commissioners, community members and City Staff. Once the artwork is selected, the committee will send a notification by email and formal letter and the artist(s) will be assigned the City utility box(es). Criteria used to select artists will be: •Evaluation of artistic excellence including quality of the art and artist originality; •Creative and innovative concepts; and •Appropriate regard for the nature of the space and the audience. Mural Specifications The Azusa Art Box Program is designed to encourage community pride and beautify neighborhoods. Murals will be installed in a public place and must be suitable for viewing by all ages. The Arts in Public Places Commission shall identify through the Call for Artist, a theme for a singular utility box or series of utility boxes. The following guidelines should be followed: •The artwork that is included on the application must resemble the art that will be painted on the box. •Because the size of the box may vary slightly, artists should be prepared to adjust their artwork to the size of the box. •The City of Azusa, or its contractors, must have access to the components in the box at all times. ATTACHMENT 1 AZUSA ART BOX PROGRAM GUIDELINES & REQUIREMENTS Page 2 • Some boxes may have locks and control panels that will have to be remain free of any art image, although shall be painted a solid color to match the artwork. • Artists may want to block off the box to keep the public from brushing against wet paint, but care should be given to leave at least five (5) feet of the sidewalk open for pedestrians and compliance with ADA requirements. • When washing or painting the box, it should be done in a manner that no moisture gets inside the box through any vents. There are sensitive electronic components in the box. • The vents should not be covered so as not to restrict airflow from the cabinet. Ventilation keeps the box from overheating. • Door hinges should be painted so as to not lock the door in place. • The levers/handles/keyholes on the boxes should not have any coating over them. • Artwork using a majority of dark colors cannot be considered due to the potential for overheating of the utility boxes. Ineligible Entries A Proposal will be ineligible, for any one or more of the following reasons, if the mural: Contains: • A copyrighted or trademarked image or logo; • A brand or business name; • A website or social media link; • Address or phone number; • Is plagiarized, stolen, or copied from another source; • Defames or invades the rights of any person, living or dead; Is likely to: • Incite or produce an imminent lawless act; • Disrupt the orderly operation of the facility exhibiting the art; • Is integral to criminal conduct or violates the law; or May reasonably be construed as: • False or fraudulent; • Obscene matter, as defined in California Penal Code Section 311 or any successor legislation; • Harmful matter for minors as defined in California Penal Code Section 313 or any successor • legislation; or • Child pornography, as defined in 18 U.S.C. Section 2256, or California Penal Code Section 311.1(a) or 311.2(b), or any successor legislation. Painting & Materials Artists are responsible for prepping and painting the utility box. This may include several sequential applications of paint to complete the project (1. sand 2. prime 3. paint with acrylics 4. finishing with antigraffiti clear coat). Artists are responsible for cleanup of their area and safe disposal of all paint materials. AZUSA ART BOX PROGRAM GUIDELINES & REQUIREMENTS Page 3 Artists may only use acrylic paint: Golden or Liquitex high viscosity paint, lightfastness 1, with low sheen, eggshell or satin finish. Artists are responsible for applying a coat on top of the mural of Liquitex Soluvar. This is not permanent varnish, but is weather and UV resistant and will enable better graffiti clean off if needed. Insurance & Indemnification Selected artists are required to comply with the City’s insurance and liability requirements. Also, selected artists must sign a Release of Liability and Indemnity Agreement. Location Artists and artist groups may request a specific or series of box location(s) on the application but are not guaranteed a specified location. Installation When the City uses the artist’s images or the artwork for promoting arts programming, the City will identify the artist and give credit to the artist, whenever possible, but the City will not be liable to the artist for an error in or omission of the artist’s identification or the artist’s credit for the artwork. Repair and Removal The City cannot be held responsible for damage caused by graffiti removal. The City may remove a mural from a utility box, at any time, for any one or more of the following reasons: • The City determines that the mural falls under any one or more of the reasons listed under “Ineligible Entries”; The mural or any part of it: • Endangers public safety or poses a public safety hazard; • Possesses a demonstrated fault in workmanship; • Requires excessive or unreasonable maintenance; • Is damaged irreparably (including vandalism or graffiti), or to an extent that restoration is unreasonable or impractical; • The utility box owner requests removal; or • The utility box is damaged or needs maintenance, repair, modification, or replacement.