THINGS TO SEE
Building a rich collection of city-owned art Inside the Arts Camille Russell Love Love has been executive director of the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (@atlantaoca) for more than two decades. Among the many programs housed within the Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA), the Art on Loan Program is one of the office’s signature activities. The Art on Loan Program supports the presentation of public art by purchasing works of art from local, regional, national and, on occasion, international artists. The goal is to make fine art available to Atlanta residents and employees by displaying pieces from the collection in public spaces. The processes by which art is selected and acquired are varied. Most often, a jury is empaneled to select and purchase works. In my capacity as executive director, I sometimes come across works of art in galleries and other venues and make recommendations to staff for consideration. Other times, our office will issue requests for proposal (RFPs); thereby casting the broadest possible net in our efforts to identify diverse artists. To date, the collection consists of over five hundred works and is on display in every City of Atlanta department (like Public Works and Finance), and in municipal buildings – including recreation centers. Previously, staff installed art based on individual preferences, availability and/or a combination of both. Lately, Program Manager Kevin Sipp invites staff from departments interested in the program to work with him to select the pieces that will hang on the department’s walls. In the process, staff not only
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“Yes, We Can” by Robert Clements at Webster Park
“Hard Days Work Shack” by Beverly Buchanan at Studioplex
“Signs of the Times, The Daily Agenda” by Kevin Cole at City Hall
MARCH 2022 | AtlantaSeniorLife.com
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