PURPOSE   

The purpose of this report is to request City Council approval of a public art proposal for the Community Services Building and authorization to enter into an agreement with artist Wayne Healy for the final design, fabrication, and installation of the art project.

BACKGROUND

City Council directed staff to initiate an artist search, without the use of an art consultant.  The total art budget, based upon the Art in Public Places Ordinance, was $150,000.  A request for qualification was developed (Attachment I) and distributed to those artists on our open public artist interest list of over 150 individuals.  Additionally, an advertisement soliciting artists was placed in the Daily News. The deadline for submittals was May 20, 2005.  Staff received nearly fifty completed applications.

The Site Specific Art Selection Committee is composed of members of the Project Oversight Committee which included Mayor Todd Campbell, Councilmember Jef Vander Borght, City Manager Mary Alvord, Assistant City Manager Michael Flad, Community Development Director Sue Georgino, Public Works Director Bonnie Teaford, building Architect Alex Ward, Park, and Recreation and Community Services Director Eric Hansen, business representative Yumiko Whitaker and Art in Public Places representative Penny Young.  The Committee selected five (5) finalists: Anna Murch, Tony Sheets, Wayne Healy, Madeleine Wiener, and the artist team of Victor Henderson and Elizabeth Garrison.  On August 22, 2005, Mr. Healy was selected and he entered into a Design Agreement (Attachment II) to create a proposal for the Community Services Building.  Prior to meeting with the Committee, he met separately with Architect Alex Ward to discuss various opportunity sites.  They agreed upon the concept of developing a continuum of art for the building�s public spaces.

On December 19, 2005, Mr. Healy made his initial presentation to the Committee.  It included entrance walkway skylights with five historic images, 3�x 6� mobiles suspended from the atrium ceiling featuring images of workers fabricated out of gatter board, a vertical mural on an atrium wall, a large metal sculpture with a community based theme and three (3) additional skylights at the rear entrance featuring images of recreation activities.  The Committee was very supportive of his concepts and provided direction as to the mural design, the placement of the large sculpture, and the worker images.  A follow-up meeting was held January 30, 2006 to discuss the refined proposal.  Additional comments were provided by the Committee members.  On January 24, 2007 the Committee met to discuss the final proposal.  They liked the changes and approved the project.  Since Mayor Campbell and Councilmember Vander Borght were unable to attend the previous meeting, the artist presented the proposal to them on January 30, 2007.  They both approved the project.  

ANALYSIS

The proposed art projects have the enthusiastic support of the Site Specific Selection Committee.  In addition, the Art in Public Places Committee has approved the proposal.  As designed, the projects (Attachment III) will offer a continuum of art, placed at the entrances and in the atrium of the Community Services Building.  There will be images of workers providing services, historic images, recreational images, and there will be community themes.  Fabrications will be created in metal, gatter board, glass and paint.

Mr. Healy will be in attendance at the City Council meeting to present his proposal and answer questions.

FISCAL IMPACT

Funds in the amount of $150,000, including the design fee of $15,000, have been dedicated in account number 370.CP01A.70019.0000.11915.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Staff, the Site Specific Art Selection Committee, and the Art in Public Places Committee recommends that City Council approve the proposed Art in Public Places projects as proposed by artist Wayne Healy for the design, fabrication, and installation of the Community Services Building�s public art.

If City Council concurs, the appropriate action would be a motion to adopt the following resolution: A resolution of the Council of the City of Burbank approving the agreement by and among the City of Burbank and Wayne Healy for the design, fabrication, and installation of the artwork at the Community Services Building.

Attachments

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