CITY OF POMONA
COUNCIL REPORT
August 4, 2025
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Anita D. Scott, City Manager
Submitted By: Ata Khan, Deputy Director, Office of Economic and Business Affairs SUBJECT: ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION APPROVING CRITERIA FOR PUBLIC ART REGISTRY FOR THE CITY OF POMONA RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council adopt the following resolution:
RESOLUTION NO. 2025-92- A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF POMONA, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING CRITERIA FOR A CITY PUBLIC ART REGISTRY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Approval of this item will formally create criteria for including public artworks into the City’s Public Art Registry. A “Public Art Registry” is a listing of all public artwork that can be considered part of a City’s Public Art Collection. Formally approving criteria for Public Art Registry will reduce this uncertainty and expedite the maintenance of older artworks in the City’s public art collection.
SB1439/GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLICABILITY:
☐ When this box is checked, it indicates the agenda item is subject to the Levine Act SB1439 requirements. Councilmembers are reminded to check their campaign contributions and determine whether they have received a campaign contribution of $500 or more that would require disclosure and/or recusal from discussing or acting on this agenda item. Campaign contributions of $500 or more made 1) by any person or entity who is identified in the agenda report as the applicant or proposer or 2) on behalf of the applicant or participant, including a parent, subsidiary or otherwise related business entity, or 3) by any person who has a financial interest in the agenda item requires a councilmember to comply with SB1439.
FISCAL IMPACT:
No fiscal impact at this time.
DISCUSSION:
The City’s public art collection is listed in the City’s “Public Art Registry,” however the Registry has not, to date, been formally recognized or approved by the City Council, which increases uncertainty about which past artworks that pre-date the 2012 Art in Public Places Program are eligible to be maintained by the City’s Public Art Fund. A “Public Art Registry” is a listing of all public artwork that can be considered part of a City’s Public Art Collection. Creating a Registry for the City has been attempted several times over the past 30 years. This includes efforts from 2006 to 2009 by Cal Poly Pomona student projects, in 2011 by Claremont Graduate University students working with the Pomona Public Library, and in 2016 by the dA Center for the Arts developing an inventory. Cumulatively, these efforts have been beneficial to the community, but have not, to date, been formally recognized by the City.
City staff, the Cultural Arts Commission, and residents have identified public artwork that requires maintenance. These works were created before 2012, when the Art in Public Places Program was formed, and when there was not a formal process to approve public art. Approving the Public Art Registry criteria will reduce uncertainty about how to invest in the maintenance of the City’s Public Art Collection using the Public Art Fund.
The Registry will recognize artworks that are:
On City-owned property;
Funded or partially funded by the City (pre-dating the Art in Public Places ordinance), Funded by the Art in Public Places Fund.
Artworks outside of these qualifications or that are not specified in these criteria may be presented on a case-by-case basis to the City. The Registry is a living document and will be updated with new projects that are funded by the Art in Public Places Fund.
On May 15, 2025, the Cultural Arts Commission approved Cultural Arts Commission Resolution No. 25-006 which recommends the City Council approve the preservation of artwork through recognition of the Public Art Registry criteria.
COUNCIL PRIORITIES & GOALS:
This action supports Priority 2, Economic Development, in that the Art in Public Places Program supports the City’s economic prosperity.
ALTERNATIVE(S):
The City Council has the following alternatives:
Reject Staff recommendation and provide direction on alternative action.
Prepared by:
_____________________________
Ata Khan
Deputy Director
Office of Economic and Business Affairs
ATTACHMENT(S):
Attachment No. 1 – Resolution No. 2025-92
Approval of Public Art Registry