TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Mark Leyman, Parks and Recreation Director
Eilen Stewart, Cultural Arts Manager
Alexandria Latragna, Policy and Management Analyst
SUBJECT:Title
Consideration of Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Bruce’s Beach Public Art Project as Recommended by the Art in Public Places Committee (APPC) and the Cultural Arts Commission (CAC); Allocation of an Additional $15,000 from the Public Arts Trust Fund for the Construction of Maquettes and Travel Reimbursement for Five Semi-Finalists (Parks and Recreation Director Leyman).
(Estimated Time: 30 Mins.)
A) APPROVE
B) ALLOCATE FUNDS
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the RFP for the Bruce’s Beach Public Art Project and allocate $15,000 from the Public Arts Trust Fund for the construction of maquettes and travel reimbursement for five semi-finalists.
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FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
On March 16, 2021, City Council allocated $350,000 from the Public Art Trust Fund (PATF) to commemorate the history and honor the legacy of Bruce’s Beach. If approved, up to an additional $15,000 will need to be allocated from the PATF to cover the production of five semi-finalist maquettes (five Artist Honoraria at $1,000 each) and travel reimbursement (up to $2,000 for each of five semi-finalists) for artists traveling to the site from more than 100 miles.
BACKGROUND:
On March 16, 2021, the City Council authorized expenditures not to exceed $350,000 from the Public Arts Trust Fund for an artwork commemorating the history of Bruce’s Beach.
The Art in Public Places Committee (APPC), comprised of four members of the former Bruce’s Beach Task Force, two Cultural Arts Commissioners, and two City Councilmembers, drafted the RFP for the Bruce’s Beach Public Art project. That draft, approved by the Cultural Arts Commission on January 30, 2023, is presented to the City Council for approval. Once the City Council has approved the RFP, it will be opened to applicants for a 30-day period.
DISCUSSION:
Under the attached RFP, the goals of the artwork are to promote reflection, introspection, healing, and education surrounding the history of Bruce’s Beach. The piece is open to artist interpretation, but should not be too abstract. The art piece may also incorporate the plaque, which is being installed on the top flat of the park near Highland Boulevard.
After the RFP has closed, the APPC will select 12 eligible applicants and make recommendations to the CAC. The CAC will further narrow those 12 applicants to eight and make recommendations to the City Council, who will then select five semi-finalists.
Staff will then organize a virtual town hall meeting with the five semi-finalists, led by a selected member of the APPC. This will be an opportunity for the public to engage with the creation of the art piece and submit their suggestions and questions for the artists.
The semi-finalists will each prepare a maquette of their proposal, incorporating feedback from the public as well as City staff collaboration. A stipend of $1,000 will be paid to each semi-finalist for the production and shipping/delivery of the maquette. The APPC and CAC will separately review, interview, and rank the semi-finalists. The rankings and reviews from the APPC and the CAC will be presented to the City Council for final proposal selection and approval.
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the RFP for the Bruce’s Beach Public Art Project and allocate $15,000 from the Public Arts Trust Fund for the construction of maquettes and travel reimbursement for five semi-finalists.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
The APPC met at publically noticed meetings on October 11, November 10, and December 13, 2022. The CAC considered and approved the draft RFP at a public meeting held on January 30, 2023.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City Council’s review of the Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Bruce’s Beach Art Project is not a “project” as defined under Section 15378 of the State California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to Section 15060(c)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines, the activity is not subject to CEQA. Thus no environmental review is necessary. In the event that the City Council approves an art project, at that time, said activity would be subject to CEQA.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has approved the agreement as to form.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Draft Request for Proposal (RFP)
2. Sample Artist Agreement
3. PowerPoint Presentation