Fiscal Note
The proposed resolution authorizes changes to the approval process for distributing funds for Art in Public Places and authorizes up to $80,000 in the capital Municipal Art Fund to be directed towards Art in Public Places. The Planning Division’s Municipal Art Fund capital program has approximately $427,000 of available budget authority. No additional City appropriation is required for the proposed resolution.
Title
Directing $80,000 of the Municipal Art Fund towards Art in Public Places projects.
Body
WHEREAS,, the COVID19 pandemic has caused sudden and overwhelming losses of income for cultural sector workers and a steep decline in revenue opportunities for the sector as a whole; and,
WHEREAS, during this time of a global public health emergency, the importance of arts and culture to our mental health and well-being has become even more apparent; and,
WHEREAS, timely support could also help prevent irreparable economic and social damage enabling this fragile sector's ability to continue to provide cultural enhancements to our community's health as we collectively recover from this crisis; and,
WHEREAS, COVID-19 has disrupted the process and timeline for multiple public art projects, necessitating postponing; and,
WHEREAS, temporary and permanent public art funds are already included in the 2020 budget; and,
WHEREAS, Art In Public Places funds could be used to commission artists who have been impacted by loss of income due to COVID-19 and to create projects designed to promote positivity in neighborhoods; and,
WHEREAS, due to the pandemic, City of Madison boards, commissions and committees, including the Madison Arts Commission, are not meeting on their regular schedules,
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that until the Madison Arts commission can resume meeting, staff will implement the following changes to the approval process for spending Art in Public Places funding:
• The Arts Program Administrator will issue a call for artists who have lost income due to COVID-19.
• Members of the Madison Arts Commission will individually rank the applicants so that staff can create an eligible pool of artists to draw upon for a variety of projects.
• Staff will coordinate public art and placemaking projects under $10,000 to take place in five areas of the City -North, South, East, West, and Central, with a focus on areas that are public arts deficient and using Racial Equity and Social Justice principles.
• Proposals will be reviewed by the Chair of the Madison Arts Commission, at least one staff member from the Planning Division’s Neighborhood Planning, Preservation, and Design team, and the Arts Program Administrator.
• Recommended proposals will then be advanced to the Planning Division Director for approval.
• These changes will take effect once approved by the Mayor and the Common Council. Once the Madison Arts Commission is allowed to again hold a regular meeting, they will resume the role of vetting applications and proposals; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that up to $80,000 of the Municipal Art Fund be directed towards Art in Public Places projects.