Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation is to fund the Harrison Park Public Art Project. The effort is a partnership between the Harrison West Society and Columbus Public Art, a new city program administered by the Development Department, Planning Division. The project aims to select a professional visual artist to create, fabricate and install a site-specific public artwork in Harrison Park. The community has successfully acquired several prior pieces for the park.
An artist call was issued in late 2014, resulting in 21 eligible artists submitting qualification. On January 26, 2015 an Artist Advisory Panel, made up of residents, a Columbus Art Commissioner and art/design professionals, reviewed the artist qualifications and selected three finalists. The artist finalists were subsequently approved by the Columbus Art Commission (CAC) at their January 27, 2015 meeting. They are Jon Barlow Hudson, Xan Palay, and Todd Kime.
The Development Department is now prepared to enter into contract with the finalists for the completion of original conceptual designs that will be presented to the community for vote. Each artist will receive a $750 design fee. Harrison West has an established history of successfully selecting and funding public art projects through a community presentation and voting process. The artist with the winning proposal will present to the CAC for conceptual design and placement approval.
The project is a pilot public art approach of a two to one funding match, with Harrison West Society allocating $30,000 from Recreation and Parks Permanent Improvement Fund established for Harrison West Parks and Greenways. The fund is managed by the Recreation & Parks Department, which has approved this use. $62,250 in matching funds have been allocated through the Columbus Public Art Program.
This ordinance is the first of two pieces necessary for the project authorizing the expenditure of $2,250 for conceptual design fees for the three artist selected. A...
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