Draft for Public Review December 2016 Submitted by Athens Cultural Affairs Commission Cover collage, clockwise from top left: Lou Kregal, Nack, City Hall, Harold Rittenberry, David Hale, Daily Groceries Co-op 2 Athens Public Art MAster PlAn Athens Public Art MAster PlAn 3 t o Ex EcutivE Summary 4 imPlEmEntation guidES For PuBlic art 66 a B • Implementation Guide #1 SPLOST Projects 68 l thE Big PicturE: crEativE and Program dirEctionS 16 • Implementation Guide #2 Art Walk and Cultural Trail Projects 72 E • Introduction 16 • Implementation Guide #3 Murals 76 • Vision, Mission, Goals 17 • Implementation Guide #4 Bus Shelters 80 F • Capital Projects / SPLOST 18 • Implementation Guide #5 Bike Racks 82 c • Downtown Art Walk, Cultural Trail 19 • Implementation Guide #6 Grants to Artists and Organizations 84 o • Bus Shelters, Bike Racks 21 nt • Implementation Guide #7 Artist Residencies 86 • Murals 22 • Implementation Guide #8 Major Grants 88 E • Artist- and Community-Initiated Projects 24 n • Planning and Policy 25 aPPEndicES 90 t • • 1. SPLOST Project Recommendations 92 Public Art in Private Development 28 S • 2. Guidelines for Donations 96 nExt StEPS: FivE-yEar Plan 30 • 3. Guidelines for Public Art in Private Development 100 how to gEt thErE: tEchnical rEcommEndationS 34 • Criteria for Selection Programs, Projects and Sites 36 • Annual Work Plan and Budget 38 • Public Art Project Plans 38 • Artist Recruitment, Selection Processes 39 • Volunteer Leadership and Professional Staffing 43 • Public Funding Sources 46 • Private Funding Sources 49 • Artist Development 51 • Partnerships: Public Art Ecosystem 53 • Communications and Marketing 55 • Collection Management 57 • Evaluation 60 • Roles and Responsibilities 61 • Definitions 64 4 Athens Public Art MAster PlAn Athens Public Art MAster PlAn 5 Ex utiv “Creativity E c empowerspeople tounderstand E themselvesand Summary othersbetter.” Spirit of Athens, Torchlighter, William J. Thompson, City Hall. Courtesy Athens Cultural Affairs Commission. Athens–Clarke County (ACC) is best known as the home of the University of Georgia, whose founding in 1801 at the location of a trading post along the Oconee River became the impetus for organizing the town a few years later. While ACC is the smallest county in Georgia, it is quite diverse, with the university, a bustling downtown, small industry, productive agricultural lands and a thriving music and culinary scene. Today, as the pace of change in ACC is accelerating, community leaders hope that public art can be an integral piece of the puzzle that provides a sense of place in the community — contributing to broader efforts at beautification and allowing a new generation, and new genres, of artists to leave their mark. This master plan follows on a new and growing commitment by the Athens–Clarke County Unified Government (ACCUG) to invest in public art. The plan sets out a vision for public art in the community, identifies key projects, outlines a work plan for the next five years and beyond, and concludes with policies and procedures that will help the Athens Cultural Affairs Commission (ACAC) move projects forward. City Hall. Courtesy Athens Cultural Affairs Commission. 6 Athens Public Art MAster PlAn Athens Public Art MAster PlAn 7 Plan DeveloPment Public Engagement Athens–Clarke County’s public art initiative Public engagement was very important to the ACAC and Athens Food Stories was at the heart of the planning process. There were dates back to 2010, when the Mayor and As part of the Athens public art master plan process, led by the Athens Cultural Affairs Commission adopted the recommendation of several approaches — guest artist projects, stakeholder Commission, the planning team invited artist Seitu Jones to develop a project that assists with community engagement and demonstrates contemporary practices in public art. Seitu visited a special task force to dedicate one percent conversations, an advisory committee, public events and an Athens from October 13-16, 2015 to collect food stories from residents. Internet survey. Many of these food stories relate to a place…a housing complex, a South American country, a of capital expenditures to public art, and to table, a market, a restaurant, or home. These are just a few of the almost 30 stories collected by appoint a volunteer Athens Cultural Affairs Seitu and artist Kira Hegeman. All of us have food stories and these stories could possibly help inform the placement and execution of public art projects in Athens. Commission (ACAC) to oversee public art and • Bressi invited artists Seitu Jones, Matthew Mazzotta and 1 First story has other cultural initiatives. That same year, Wing Young Huie to accompany him on visits in October, to do with how you get seniors voters approved the continuation of the Special December and April. The role of the artists was to engage to come to meetings of the community using their own research methodologies, things that are Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) to really important and fund 33 community projects, including a pool of thereby connecting with a wide variety of people who educational is to serve food. funds to be allocated for public art. wouldn’t ordinarily take part in a public art master plan, Anytime we put out a little and demonstrating a variety of approaches to public art buffet the main Good Neighbors Daylobby is packed, Since then, the ACAC has commissioned we have Ethel Collins practice beyond traditional sculpture and murals. about a half dozen art projects, relying mostly that’s coming Is described as an angel in our midst and • The planning team conducted extensive interviews with up next began as a volunteer for the Athens Land on volunteers to shepherd projects through Tuesday and Trust. Miss Ethel grows food for the West public officials and community, civic and arts leaders, we do a big Broad Farmers Market, using methods Arlene Stern lunch and the learned as a girl. She then prepares foods the development process, has launched a whole building using recipes and techniques learned from including faculty and administrators at the University of . is coming down, her grandmother. She has always used food community grants program, and has managed otherwise we have about 30 people out of 113 for healing and preventing ailments Georgia. The interviews provided detailed information apartments Maru affecting many other older adults. the development of this public art master plan. Castellanos Broderick Flanigan about arts, civic and government organizations. Because of its workload, the ACAC has been My favorite food is by far, Growing up I remember black beans…I love black my grandmother • The planning team conducted several stakeholder expanded from nine to eleven members. beans, because black beans making salmon patties. is something that in She would take canned roundtables — two that were open to any artist who Guatemala, you will have in salmon and put it in a the morning and in the bowl then add The ACAC began organizing the public art wanted to attend, one with downtown stakeholders, evening and sometimes for seasonings and one egg lunch. You can prepare to help it stay together master plan process in summer, 2014, outlining and one with people interested in making murals. These different types of black beans, with different while it was being fried. stuff. They go with everything. I just love it…. Those and turnip greens the following goals for the project: Here I buy canned black beans from the Latin were some of my favorites that she made. were opportunities for open-ended discussions about American market…Canned black beans from I would get some hot sauce and mustard Guatemala…I just bought black beans and make a great sandwich with some the arts and creative life in Athens–Clarke County, as well yesterday. white bread. • Assess the city’s cultural assets and as focused conversations that were useful in exploring opportunities, recommendations for public art downtown and for murals Seitu Jones, Athens Food Stories, collected during master plan process. • Engage stakeholders and the community at throughout the community. large, • The ACAC convened a master plan advisory committee • Develop a long-range (twenty-year) plan for Robert Clements, Untitled, Athens–Clarke County Library. Photo courtesy ACAC. comprised of civic, community, arts and business leaders. public art, The advisory committee contributed its observations • Recommend action steps for implementing about opportunities and needs for public art in Athens– “Helpustobeamore‘creative the plan and estimate costs where Clarke County, and reviewed early versions of the appropriate, and vision statement, goals and recommendations that are incorporated into this plan. collective’ofpeoplewhoare • Deliver public outreach materials to innovators,ideagenerators.” communicate the values, vision and process • The ACAC scheduled four public events during the course of the final master plan. of the planning process, including lectures by guest artists and an open house. These events helped seed high In January 2015, the ACAC issued an RFP for expectations for public art, as evidenced by comments the project, ultimately contracting with Todd at the open house about when the ACAC would be able W. Bressi, Urban Design • Place Planning • to develop the types of projects that the visiting artists Public Art to serve as the planning consultant. talked about during their residencies. The planning process involved research, public and stakeholder engagement, extensive site 1 Chapter 1-25 of the Athens–Clarke County Municipal Code, “Athens Cultural Affairs Commission.” visits throughout Athens and ongoing review of progress by an advisory committee. 8 Athens Public Art MAster PlAn Athens Public Art MAster PlAn 9 Survey The ACAC also invited public comment through a survey open to the public over the Internet and circulated printed copies of surveys at its public events. Some of the key findings3: “Artcreatesasafespacefor • The character of Athens–Clarke County is • Respondents expressed an overwhelming expression,understanding,and defined by an intangible feel or aura that desire for more murals.