Cultural Plan
Public Art
CURRENT STATUS
FACT VS FICTION 02/01/2010
Chamber of Commerce Endorsement Letter 02/01/2010 (PDF)
DEFINITION: WHAT IS IT?
What is Public Art?
What are some examples of existing public art that I may have seen?
ECONOMICS: WHO PAYS? WHO BENEFITS?
What can public art do for a community? Why is it important?
Does public art have economic benefits for a community?
Who pays for public art?
How and when is the fee calculated?
Could a public art ordinance create a deterrent to building in Napa?
How can a developer benefit from incorporating public art in his or her project?
PROCESS: HOW DOES IT WORK?
Who chooses the art?
How are offensive, controversial and otherwise inappropriate artworks prevented from being approved as public art?
What if the developer doesn't have an appropriate site in their building?
For artwork funded through a pooled fund, who chooses the art and where it will be placed?
TIMING: WHY NOW?
Given the current economic climate and the serious community needs in other areas (schools, libraries, roads, etc.), why is the timing right for a public art ordinance?
CURRENT STATUS
The Public Art Ordinance will now go to City Council for review and vote on February 16, 2010, 6:30pm at Napa City Hall. The Napa Planning Commission passed a consensus recommendation that Napa City Council approve a Public Art Ordinance for the city of Napa on December 3, 2009.
Click here for FACT VS FICTION
Chamber of Commerce Endorsement Letter (PDF)
ACNV, in conjunction with a 7-member Public Art Committee, conducted a study of public art programs around the country in June and July 2007. This study concentrated on cities and programs with populations similar to Napa County. This study was conducted to provide background information and recommendations to the committee to create a Public Art Ordinance (PDF Draft) for the City of Napa. As envisioned, this Ordinance will become a model for all the cities within Napa County, as well as for the County itself.
FACT VS FICTION
City of Napa Public Art Ordinance --- January 2010
Prepared by Arts Council Napa Valley
| FICTION / QUESTION | FACT / ANSWER |
| The proposed Public Art Ordinance is a tax. |
The proposed Public Art Ordinance requires art installation on certain new public or commercial development OR (at the developer's request) the developer may pay a fee into a city-wide fund for installation of public art on public property. |
| The money collected from the Public Art Ordinance would be better spent on roads, schools, etc. |
This is a new program specifically proposed to support visual arts in the community. It cannot be used for any other purpose. Public art created through this program would be resource available to all locals and visitors to the valley. It is a lasting and tangible investment in our community. |
| The Public Art Ordinance will force developers to buy art they do not want. |
Developers will absolutely have a say in the art that is installed in/ on/ around their projects, because they will choose and commission the art work with approval through the public design review process.
In the event a developer does not want to have art on his or her property, s/he can instead pay a fee into the Public Art Fund. The money in this fund will be pooled to pay for art in public places, according the to the Master Plan and an art selection process to be defined by the Public Art Program Guidelines. The process will be open to the public, with developers included. |
| The development community is unfairly being singled out to pay for public art. Why can't there be other funding mechanisms? |
The City of Napa wants to encourage public art as a part of new private development. Public art enhances development, and is ideally incorporated as part of the project from the beginning of design. The Public Art Ordinance also includes construction of certain public facilities, so public tax dollars will also pay into the Public Art Fund. Percent for Art programs have been around since 1959. It is standard practice in over 350 cities across the country. A percent ordinance like this one is the primary source for raising funds. Some cities also have other funding mechanisms, such as money set aside by the General Fund, sales tax revenue, or endowment grants. Napa will be able to leverage the Public Art Fund with other funding sources over time. |
| Those who worked on the Public Art Ordinance did so for personal gain. |
Napa City staff developed the Public Art Ordinance based on research and recommendations made by a group of volunteer citizens and residents of Napa. This volunteer working group was formed at the request of the Napa City Planning Commission. The working group included members of Arts Council Napa Valley staff, Napa County Commission for Arts & Culture, di Rosa, I. Wolk Gallery, as well as a public art consultant and a local developer. No one in this group will gain financially by this ordinance. The only people who will receive any money are the future artists whose work is selected through a competitive process. |
| Why can't an architect of record can't be the artist? | This language was not included in order to protect the definition of "artist". If an architect of note is proposed to create a public art project, an exception can be considered and made as part of the approval process. |
| Why is the $250k minimum necessary? |
Projects under $250k would include minor repairs, smaller remodels and renovations, and applying a fee to every permitted project would be challenging. The 1% fee collected on a $250k project would be $2,500. Quality permanent public art projects can cost upwards of $50k. The City of Napa wants to encourage fewer projects with more impact (over several smaller pieces.) |
| Is it too late to include temporary artwork? | The current version of the Public Art Ordinance recommends permanent art pieces only. This can be amended later. City staff has suggested that the program be established and operating well before adding other elements to it. |
| Why are visual, and not all arts, included? | Currently recommending visual only. This can be amended later. City staff has suggested that the program be established and operating well before adding other elements to it. |
| What about committee whims of passing style vs. lasting art? (Speak to the specter of the Clock Tower as an example of public art that did not work.) |
Past projects like the Clock Tower were erected (and dismantled) when there was no Public Art Ordinance, and no Master Plan. With this proposed ordinance, there will be a Master Plan and a public review process that City staff will manage. There will also be an art review body to make recommendations before any project goes to City Council, as well as a deaccessioning policy/ procedure. None of this was in place in the past. This addition will mean that pieces are selected with greater care and with these types of concerns in mind. |
DEFINITION: WHAT IS IT?
What is Public Art?
Public art fits a much broader definition than art in a gallery or a museum. In simple terms, public art is any work of art or design that is created by an artist specifically to be sited in a public space. Public art can take a variety of forms including sculptures and murals in and around buildings. It can also be incorporated into the very design of a building or object, such as: a manhole cover, paving pattern, lighting, seating, building facade, kiosk, gate, fountain, or play equipment. Public artists work in all kinds of mediums: bronze, engraving, carving, fresco, mobile, collage, mosaic, tapestry, photograph, drawing, or earthwork to name a few. Public art can be permanent or temporary.
What are some examples of existing public art that I may have seen?
The Eiffel Tower in Paris, the murals and sculptures in downtown Napa, the Grape Crusher on Highway 29 in Napa, the Sundial Bridge in Redding, the St. Louis Arch, the mosaic fountain at the Napa Mill, the "Bean" in Millennium Park in Chicago, the bow and arrow on San Francisco's Embarcadero, "Retro Woman" on the Fifth Street Parking Garage in downtown Napa, and "The Gates" in New York City's Central Park.
ECONOMICS: WHO PAYS? WHO BENEFITS?
What can public art do for a community? Why is it important?
Public art has the power to energize our public spaces, arouse our thinking, and transform the places where we live, work, and play into more welcoming and beautiful environments that invite interaction. By its presence alone public art can heighten our awareness, question our assumptions, transform a landscape, or express community values, and for these reasons it can have the power, over time, to transform a city's image. Public art helps define a community's identity and reveal the unique character of a specific neighborhood.
Does public art have economic benefits for a community?
Public art can have a tremendous economic impact. "The Sundial Bridge", a functional public art pedestrian bridge in Redding, California, generated an additional 12,000 hotel room stays during the first two months after it opened. Hotels report that the bridge continues to be the numberone attraction guests ask about. The "WaterFire" public art project in Providence, Rhode Island, attracts 350,000 people annually, and translates into $4 million in additional spending downtown annually. In addition, the "WaterFire" production annually puts $270,000 directly back into the state, in the form of wages and spending on materials and technical skills. These are just a few examples of the economic impact of public art.
Who pays for public art?
Public art is typically funded through a percent-for-art ordinance that levies a fee on new public and private development. This fee is typically 1%, although there are examples ranging from 1/2 percent to 2% (such as in San Francisco). This fee is seen as an investment that the developer makes into the community, by enhancing the quality of life, increasing property values, and stimulating the economy. Occasionally some types of development are exempt from the fee, such as low-income housing and basic public infrastructure.
How and when is the fee calculated?
Typically, the fee is calculated and paid at the same time all other fees are calculated and paid: when the builder applies for the permit. It is based on the building value tables as set by the Building Official through City Council Resolution. These table values do not include land value and would not be adjusted if the project budget changes as a result of building change orders.
Could a public art ordinance create a deterrent to building in Napa?
Napa is surrounded by communities with public art ordinances --- Petaluma, Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park, Novato, Walnut Creek, Sacramento, Oakland, Emeryville, Richmond, San Francisco, Dublin, etc. Most developers are accustomed to this type of fee for their project. Despite other development fees such as traffic, water etc. which are typically much higher than a Public Art fee, developers have been drawn to these areas because of their inherent attractions and Napa, with the Napa River, growing residential base, strong tourist population, wine industry, natural beauty and wine & food culture would likely fair no differently.
How can a developer benefit from incorporating public art in his or her project?
Public art enhances the project by making the space more desirable for employees, tenants, and businesses. It elevates the project and helps raise awareness of the building as a new landmark. Studies have shown that public art features play an important role in distinguishing competing buildings, and that it facilitates rentals and reduces risk. Public art is also the legacy the builder will leave behind for generations to enjoy. It is an investment in, and a gift to the community.
PROCESS: HOW DOES IT WORK?
Who chooses the art?
Public art programs across the country have different types of selection committees. These committees are designed to be representative of the community and informed by arts experts. The committees average between 7-9 members, and often include: arts professionals (professors, curators, artists, public art consultants), the developer, representatives from the jurisdiction's appropriate departments and planning commissions, and residents who live and/or work near the proposed site. Usually a new committee is formed for each public art project, to best reflect the interests of that project and site. Selection committee members may be appointed or approved by the City Council or the Arts Commission.
How are offensive, controversial and otherwise inappropriate artworks prevented from being approved as public art?
Typically, when a public art work is solicited, the jurisdiction provides guidelines that specifically prohibit offensive and inappropriate artworks. Furthermore, each piece of artwork will go through an extensive selection process that includes local government and community representatives, and arts professionals. Aesthetics are subjective, but the process involves extensive community input, specifically from residents who live or work near the proposed site.
What if the developer doesn't have an appropriate site in their building?
If the developer does not have an appropriate site, or if they are not interested in incorporating public art into their building, he or she can allocate the funds to a pooled fund that will be used to create public art projects elsewhere in the city.
For artwork funded through a pooled fund, who chooses the art and where it will be placed?
The City of Napa will develop a Public Art Master Plan which will help guide the creation and installation of new public art works. The artwork for these spaces would be procured through the process defined above.
TIMING: WHY NOW?
Given the current economic climate and the serious community needs in other areas (schools, libraries, roads, etc.), why is the timing right for a public art ordinance?
The arts are a critical investment in the health of a community's economy. Most municipal assets are depreciating assets, both short term (cars, fire trucks, paving equipment) and longer term (buildings and other major infrastructure). Conversely, art generally increases in value over time. Study after study has demonstrated that the arts are often a significant component of a regional and local economy. Art attracts visitors and expenditures, and investment in public art creates an environment that encourages private and nonprofit investment in arts and cultural facilities in the same area. Downtown Napa could experience half a million square feet of new development in the next few years, so the passing of a public art policy in the immediate future will have a tremendous affect on our city.
Unveiled 2009
The hubcaps for the collage were donated by the Damonte family, owners of Hubcap Ranch in Pope Valley. Hubcap Ranch was started by Italian immigrant Litto Damonte in the mid 1930s and continues today with the help of his grandson, Mike, and great grandson, Litto Jr. Hubcap Ranch is an official California historical landmark.
This artwork was commissioned by the City of Napa and Napa County, and funded by the City, County, Napa Mill LLC, Channel Properties Inc, and Andrea Schrader.
Unveiled 2002
Left to right: Our Native Napans... George Yount, General Mariano Vallejo, Don Cayetano Juarez, Diego Rivera, Roberto Rojas Sr. Lou Flores, Frida Kahlo, Cesar Chavez, Hope Lugo, Aurelio Hurtado, Tala de Wynter, Rafael Rodriquez, Elias Fernandez.
The Mural Task Force is grateful to the following donors for their support: National Sicilian American Foundation, Napa Chamber of Commerce, City of Napa, Vintage Bank, Central Valley Builders Supply, WalMart, Napa Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors, Ceja Vineyards, SueDee and Dr. Ed Cosio-Shenk, Napa Printing and Graphics, County of Napa, North Bay Plywood Inc, Alkar, Mary Ann Cinowalt and John Ramos, Napa Sign Shop.
Unveiled Easter Saturday, March 30, 2002.
Unveiled 1994
Unveiled 1975
Symbolizing the strenght and unity of the family, "The Immigrants" with optimism seek to build new lives in a new land. Each figure looks toward the future with the exception of the mother, whose glance back represents ties to the past not easily broken. Her optimism lies in the new life she carries within her, new life with new hope.
Unveiled 1985
Unveiled 1975
Unveiled 1975
