City of Sunnyvale
Agenda Item
21-0972 Agenda Date: 11/9/2021
REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Approve an Allocation from the Public Art Acquisition Fund for up to $100,000 for Prefabricated Sculptures Modified by Artists
BACKGROUND
In November 2020, City Council adopted the Master Plan for Public Art (RTC No. 20-0865). The goal of the plan was to enhance the visual landscape of the community by broadening the scope of existing public art programs. The plan also provides specific goals and resource allocation procedures to guide short and long-term decision-making for public art, including expenditures from the Public Art Acquisition Fund. Currently, the Public Art Acquisition Fund has approximately $622,000 from donations, in-lieu fees, and earned interest.
Staff is requesting City Council allocate up to $100,000 from the Public Art Acquisition Fund for temporary prefabricated sculptures modified by artists. Once funding for this project is approved, staff will further define the project and establish a selection committee to begin artist selection. The Arts Commission will review and make recommendations, and the City Council will have final approval of each design concept.
EXISTING POLICY
Council Policy 6.04.01 Arts - Goals and Policies (Policy A.1, A.2, B.3, E.1.) Council Policy 6.04.04 Art in Public Places
Municipal Code Chapter 19.52 - Art in Private Development General Plan, Chapter 4, Community Character - Design (Policy CC 1.1, 1.1c, 1.1d, 1.4,
1.8a/b/c/d/e/f, 6.1, 9.1, 9.1c)
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Approving an allocation from the Public Art Acquisition Fund does not constitute a “project” with the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378 (b) (4) in that is a fiscal activity that does not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potential significant impact on the environment. CEQA review for individual art projects will be completed as design is determined and projects are brought forward for approval; staff anticipates that the projects contemplated for this fiscal year will qualify for exemptions.
DISCUSSION
The Master Plan for Public Art provides a resource allocation procedure for utilizing the Public Art Acquisition Fund, which currently has approximately $622,000 that is earmarked for public art projects.
As part of the Master Plan engagement process, a survey identified the top two public art categories
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21-0972 Agenda Date: 11/9/2021
preferred by the community as (1) art that is functional and (2) small scale, whimsical art. Additional study sessions and brainstorming meetings with City Council and Arts Commission also identified projects that are considered temporary in nature as a priority. Based on this feedback, staff defined possible art projects and developed a community survey asking the public to identify their preferred public art concept in the areas of (1) art that is functional; (2) small scale, whimsical art and (3) temporary/rotating art (Attachment 1 - Public Art Projects Survey).
In May 2021, the Arts Commission reviewed the public survey results and provided their rankings (Attachment 2 - Arts Commission Project Rankings). Staff is now requesting funding to begin implementing the top ranked project in the temporary category:
Temporary or Rotating Art
: Placement of prefabricated sculptures altered by artists throughout City spaces (Attachment 3 - Examples of Prefabricated Sculptures Altered by Artists) · Estimated costs: between $2,000 and $5,000 per sculpture (depending on number of sculptures and size), for a maximum of $100,000.
· Goals: To create an iconic program that is distinctly Sunnyvale, provide fun and unexpected discoveries, invite exploration of Sunnyvale, and establish a distinctive Sunnyvale icon.
Once City Council has allocated Public Art Acquisition Funds, the project will go through the public art review process outlined in Council Policy 6.4.4-Art in Public Places:
1) Distribute a Request for Qualifications/Call for Artists. 2) Establish a Review Committee to shortlist qualified artists. 3) Invite selected artists to develop and submit conceptual proposals. 4) Arts Commission review and recommendation of artists for each project.
City Council review of Arts Commission recommendation and final approval of the artists and their design concepts.
Following artist approval by Council, staff will work with the selected artist to further define their concept, execute their approved design, and install the completed art piece.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding will be allocated through the Public Art Acquisition Fund with no fiscal impact on the City’s General Fund. As of the end of FY 2020/21, there is an estimated balance of approximately $622,000 available in the Public Art Acquisition fund that is collected as an in-lieu on eligible non-residential developments. The 1.1% in-lieu fee collected from private developments also includes an additional
0.1% fee to help defer future maintenance costs associated with works commissioned through the Public Art Acquisition Fund.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall, Sunnyvale Public Library and Department of Public Safety. In addition, the agenda and report are available at the Office of the City Clerk and on the City's website.
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21-0972 Agenda Date: 11/9/2021
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve an allocation from the Public Art Acquisition Fund for up to $100,000 for prefabricated sculptures modified by artists.
2. Approve an allocation from the Public Art Acquisition Fund for a different dollar amount for prefabricated sculptures modified by artists.
3. Do not approve funding from the Public Art Acquisition Fund at this time.
4. Other alternative as provided by Council.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Alternative 1: Approve an allocation from the Public Art Acquisition Fund for up to $100,000 for prefabricated sculptures modified by artists.
Prepared by: Kristin Dance, Recreation Coordinator
Prepared by: Trenton Hill, Recreation Manager
Reviewed by: Damon Sparacino, Recreation Superintendent Reviewed by: Cherise Brandell, Director of Library and Recreation Services Reviewed by: Chip Taylor, Director of Public Works
Reviewed by: Tim Kirby, Director of Finance
Reviewed by: Teri Silva, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Kent Steffens, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Public Art Projects Survey
2. Arts Commission Project Rankings
3. Examples of Prefabricated Sculptures Modified by Artists
3 Attachment 2
Summary Of Registered Responses
As of August 31, 2021, 3:28 PM, this forum had: Topic Start Attendees: 86 March 19, 2021, 12:56 PM
Registered Responses: 25
Hours of Public Comment: 1.3
QUESTION 1
Please choose your top two concepts for Functional Art projects. % Count
Permanent artistic bike racks for City parks and
open spaces
60.0% 15
Permanent artistic benches for City parks and
open spaces
48.0% 12
Hydroponic/Garden Art at Community Center
36.0% 9
Artist created wayfinding signs to downtown
52.0% 13
QUESTION 2
Please choose your top one concept for Whimsical small-scale projects. % Count
Permanent small-scale sculptures for City parks
and open spaces
60.0% 15
Smale-scale murals throughout City facilities and
open spaces
40.0% 10
QUESTION 3
Please choose your top three concepts for Temporary/Rotating art projects. 2 | www.opentownhall.com/10500 Created with OpenGov | August 31, 2021, 3:28 PM Public Art Project Survey
What should the next public art project be?
4 Attachment 2
% Count
Rotating sculpture at Community Center (E.
Remington Drive and Manet)
20.0% 5
Artist designed banners along El Camino Real
celebrating seasons and cultural diversity
40.0% 10
Placement of art in empty storefront windows
throughout City
52.0% 13
Placement of identifiable sculptures altered by
artists throughout City spaces (similar to Chicago
cows, SF hearts or San Jose sharks)
72.0% 18
Temporary sculpture garden at Community Center
and Library plaza
36.0% 9
Temporary murals for construction fencing during
Civic Center construction
44.0% 11
Artist designed clothing and accessories fashion
show and exhibition
8.0% 2
QUESTION 4
Do you have any additional ideas for future public art projects? Answered 14
Skipped 11
- abstract art benches blank building center concrete development developments done foot good lane library like love more much murals need neighborhoods public really s see similar some throughout traffic us walls 3 | www.opentownhall.com/10500 Created with OpenGov | August 31, 2021, 3:28 PM Public Art Project Survey
What should the next public art project be?
I
5 Attachment 2
Functional Art
Arts
Commission
Ranking*
Permanent artistic benches for City parks and open spaces 1 Permanent artistic bike racks for City parks and open spaces 2 Artist created wayfinding signs to downtown 3
Hydroponic/Garden Art at Community Center 4
Whimsical Small-Scale
Small-scale murals throughout City facilities and open spaces 1 Permanent small-scale, whimsical sculptures for City parks and open spaces 2
Permanent interior artwork for Community Center 3
Temporary/Rotating Art
Placement of identifiable sculptures altered by artists throughout City spaces (similar to Chicago cows) 1
Temporary murals for construction fencing during Civic Center construction 2
Placement of art in empty storefront windows throughout City 3 Artist designed banners along El Camino Real celebrating seasons and cultural diversity 4
Temporary sculpture garden at Community Center and Library plaza 5 Rotating sculpture at Community Center (E. Remington Drive and Manet) 6
Artist designed clothing and accessories fashion show and exhibition 7 *Arts Co
mmission rankings were compiled by calculating the average ranking of all voting commissioners.
6 Attachment 2
Cows on Par
ade, 1999, Chicago
The Hearts of San F rancisco, 2004-present
7 Attachment 2
Shark Bytes on Parade, 2001, San Jose
Pigs on Parade, 2001, Seattle
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Public Art –
Prefabricated Sculptures
Public Art Fund Allocation Request
City Council
Nov. 9, 2021
Cherise Brandell
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2City of Sunnyvale – Public Art – Prefabricated Sculptures, November 2021 Agenda
How We Got Here
Proposed Project
Next Steps
Community Engagement
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3City of Sunnyvale – Public Art – Prefabricated Sculptures, November 2021 • Master Plan for Public Art
(MPPA)
adopted in 2020
• $600k+ balance in the
Publi
c Art Fund
• MPPA outreach identified
publ
ic art priorities
Functional
Whimsical
How We Got Here
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4City of Sunnyvale – Public Art – Prefabricated Sculptures, November 2021 Engagement Process For Initial Project
•Two Study Sessions with Arts
Comm
ission and meetings
with Councilmembers to
brainstorm projects
•Community Survey identified
publ
ic art priorities:
• Art that is functional
• Small-scale, whimsical
• Tem
porary or rotating art
12 Attachment 2
5City of Sunnyvale – Public Art – Prefabricated Sculptures, November 2021 Engagement Process
•May 2021 – Arts Co mmission project selection
Functional Art
Such as permanent artistic benches for city parks and open spaces Whimsical Small-Scale
Such as small-scale murals throughout city facilities and open spaces Temporary/Rotating Art
Such as sculptures altered by artists throughout city spaces (similar to Chicago Cows)
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6City of Sunnyvale – Public Art – Prefabricated Sculptures, November 2021 Proposed Project
•“Prefabricated sculptures altered by artists
tempo
rarily installed throughout city spaces.”
•Goal: To create an iconic program that is distinctly
Sunn
yvale, provide fun and unexpected discoveries,
invite exploration of Sunnyvale, and establish a
distinctive Sunnyvale icon.
•Estimated cost varies between $2,000-$5,
000 per
piece depending on size and number of sculptures
•Maximum expenditure of $100,000
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7City of Sunnyvale – Public Art – Prefabricated Sculptures, November 2021 Examples of Prefabricated Sculptures
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8City of Sunnyvale – Public Art – Prefabricated Sculptures, November 2021 Examples of Prefabricated Sculptures
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9City of Sunnyvale – Public Art – Prefabricated Sculptures, November 2021 Examples of Prefabricated Sculptures
Los Altos Bears going on now
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10City of Sunnyvale – Public Art – Prefabricated Sculptures, November 2021 Public Art Fund Allocation Process / Next Steps
•Request Public Art Fund allocation from Council
•Identify the sculpture and vendor to fabricate
•Surveys and study session generated a potential
list
• Suns
• Wagons
• Fruit boxes
• Airplanes
• Computer chips
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11City of Sunnyvale – Public Art – Prefabricated Sculptures, November 2021 Public Art Fund Allocation Process / Next Steps
•On-line survey for community to vote for favorite
•Work with purchasing to select a vendor
•Distribute a Request for Qualifications/Call for Artists •Establish a committee to select artists
•Artis
ts develop prop osals
•Arts Commission review and recommendation
•City Council review and final approval
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12City of Sunnyvale – Public Art – Prefabricated Sculptures, November 2021 • Alternative 1: Approve an allocation from the Public
Art Fu
nd for up to $100,000 for prefabricated
sculptures modified by artists.
Recommendation
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13City of Sunnyvale – Public Art – Prefabricated Sculptures, November 2021 Questions
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