Fiscal Note
The proposed resolution authorizes a $30,000 contract to vinyl art wraps on City owned utility boxes. Costs for the contract will be funded by the Municipal Art Fund ($25,000) and the Monroe Street Reconstruction project in Engineering-Major Streets ($6,000). The Municipal Art Fund is a part of the Planning Division’s capital budget and receives $100,000 annually. The portion of this contract funded by the Municipal Art Fund will be funded by the Fund’s 2015 appropriation.
Title
Creating Madison’s Utility Box Art Program and authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to enter into a contract between the City of Madison and a vendor selected through a competitive bidding process to provide vinyl art wraps for City-owned utility boxes.
Body
WHEREAS the City endeavors to incorporate art into public works projects in its efforts to implement the Public Art Framework adopted by the City Council (Resolution ID #30476 on March 19, 2002); and
Whereas cities around the country have availed their utility boxes to artists in an attempt to make the boxes more attractive and less likely targets for vandalism and tagging; and
Whereas community interest in creating a similar program in Madison has grown over the last decade; and
Whereas the Madison Arts Commission (June 14, 2016) and the Downtown Coordinating Committee (June 23, 2016) discussed placing artist designed vinyl wraps on City-owned utility boxes, to encourage a form of art that can enhance the city’s pedestrian experience and neighborhood placemaking; and
Whereas City staff launched a pilot project of artist wrapped utility boxes to determine effectiveness of the material and gauge public response; and
Whereas the pilot program was considered effective at transforming ordinary objects of urban infrastructure into something fun and unique while minimizing tagging and vandalism of the boxes and have held up through four seasons around the Capitol Square; and
Whereas the Madison Arts Commission voted...
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