Dear Council Members and PAC,
Thank you for all the work you do for the City of Sebastopol.
I have a few questions regarding the PAC and the public art collection. 1) Does the PAC have money in reserves to maintain the existing pieces in the public art collection? Any physical object will need maintenance. What is the PAC’s estimate of the money needed to maintain the current public art collection over the next 20 years? Does the PAC have this money set aside? If the collection increases, how much money will be needed for maintenance, especially as the pieces are located outside and experience sun, heat, wind, rain and other weather conditions. In addition, the pieces might be subject to vandalism over time. How will the PAC address this? Who monitors the condition of the pieces to make sure they are in good condition and stable? 2) What is the status of the Public Art Sculpture Garden next to the Arts Center? Some of the pieces are showing signs of wear, especially the piece with the rebar and plastic strips. Are there plans to remove pieces as they reach the end of their viable life? Originally, the pieces were to be put in place for 1 year. Will there be any rotation of pieces to keep the sculpture garden vibrant and interesting? 3) Has the PAC done any studies to see if there is any positive economic impact from the artwork that is located at the entrance to the Sebastopol? Florence Street, which is a private endeavor, seems to draw visitors. Does the PAC know if how many visitors per year come to see the Ned Khan piece or others located in more remote areas? 4) Has the PAC done any work with local merchants to help support downtown. For instance, could the PAC fund murals on locally owned buildings via ArtStart or could they fund holiday window painting for downtown businesses? Here’s an example of artistic holiday window painting: https://theresakasun.com/2014/12/10/winterwonderland-window-painting/ Here’s an example of more commercial window painting: https://www.hello-hayley.com/christmas-window-painting-ideas/ Best,
Kate Haug