Public Art Committee

Stacked Lumber with Cat, Dog (1984-1985), Walter Hook Series, 140 West Pine

City of missouLA PubLiC Art Committee

What does the Public art Committee do?

The Public Art Committee is responsible for reviewing, advocating, and developing public art projects in the public spaces for the City of Missoula. It has developed a process to create, develop, and maintain public art as well as further public accessibility to the arts.

The Public Art Committee (PAC) is responsible for developing a collection of public art that is of the highest quality, that encompasses a broad aesthetic range reflecting the city and its citizens, that improves the quality of life in the area, that is accessible to all individuals, and that is a source of pride to all residents.

The Public Art Committee works to develop public art projects and the associated collections that become an integral part of the fabric of the City of Missoula. These projects reflect a broad range of input and involvement by artists, art professionals, organizations, businesses, and residents.

Who is on the committee?

The Public Art Committee consists of nine members serving four-year terms. Six members are appointed by the Mayor, two members are appointed by the City

Council, and one member is a Missoula City Council representative. Members have expertise in the visual arts, arts administration, historical preservation, architecture, or have an affiliation with a local business association or public entity. Current members are: Kathi Olson (Chair),

Joseph Kellogg, Dennis Lippert, Stoney Samsoe, Lisa

Simon, Greg Twigg, Danielle Vazquez, James Walter and

Heidi West (City Council Representative).

i’m interested in Public art. should i attend a PaC meeting?

YES! As a member of the community, you are welcome to come to monthly meetings held on the third Tuesday of the month at 4:00 PM in the City Council Building, 140 W. Pine. For more information contact the Public Art Coordinator at (406) 541-0860 or visit our website: www.MissoulaPublicArt.org For current information including PAC Agendas and Minutes, please go to: MissoulaPublicArt.org or www.ci.missoula. mt.us/438/Public-Art-Comittee

The Missoula Public Art Committee was formed in 1985 by Mayor John Toole as a committee designated to review, advocate for, and develop public art projects in the public spaces for the City of Missoula. It was reaffirmed on December 23, 2002 as a standing city committee. The City of Missoula Public Art Committee was the first “City” Public Art Committee in Montana.

What is the Percent for art ordinance?

In December, 2002, City Leaders passed an Ordinance establishing a Percent for Art program – a first for any city in Montana. The ordinance mandated the inclusion of artwork within certain city projects, set procedures to commission, select, and de-accession public art. The Ordinance required 1% of eligible construction costs of City capital improvement projects paid wholly or in part by the City of Missoula to construct or remodel any public or city building, structure, park, or any portion thereof to be allocated for public art and provide a funding source for ongoing maintenance. In November 2015, the amount allocated to this public art program was increased to 1.5%.

What are the objectives of the Percent for art Program?

• Develop a public art program that is unique to

Missoula. • Increase the understanding and enjoyment of public art by Missoula residents. • Invite public participation in the interaction with public spaces. • Provide unusual and challenging employment opportunities for artists. • Encourage collaborations between artists and architects, and artists and engineers. • Support artist participation on design teams for planning public projects. • Encourage a variety of art forms: temporary and permanent, object and event, single or dispersed locals. • Spread commissions among a wide number or artists and strive for overall diversity in style, scale, and intent.

How are public art projects funded?

Public Art projects are funded through the Percent for Art program, special project funds, grants, and private donations. The Committee does not receive any monies from the City of Missoula’s general fund, department budgets, licensing, or permitting fees.

How do i find out about Public art Committee art calls?

Periodically the Public Art Committee seeks artists to design and construct artwork for public buildings and grounds. Go to www.ci.missoula.mt.us/899/PublicArt-Calls or MissoulaPublicArt.org to see the list of current art calls. You can also sign up to receive future notifications when the city’s Public Art Committee is requesting proposals for public art pieces in Missoula.

The Public Art Committee has three methods of determining eligibility: • Open Art Call: open to all artists in a specified area. • Limited Art Call: open to a limited number of artists who have been invited to participate based on their expertise in a desired area. • Direct Purchase/Commission: a specific individual invited to create artwork for a site based on their expertise in a desired area.

How does the Public art Committee select artworks?

The Public Art Committee establishes a Selection Committee that includes representation from City Departments or public agencies (if applicable), donors (both public and private), neighborhood representatives (both business and residential), project architectural group (where applicable) and the Public Art Committee members.

i have a business and would like to have some public art at my business location. Can the Public art Committee provide guidance or funding?

The Public Art Committee enjoys providing guidance to the private sector wishing to develop a public art project. Although the Public Art Committee has no specific funds for special projects, the Committee has worked hand-in-hand with the private sector to develop “public-private partnership projects.” These are collaborative projects where the PAC works with the private entity in various ways to complete a public art project. Often, the completed artwork has been given to the City of Missoula, becoming a part of the public art collection.

i have a public art idea – can the Public art Committee help me?

The PAC suggests everyone start with visiting their website, MissoulaPublicArt.org to review past and present projects. Current projects may be perfect for your public art idea. If not, the Committee invites anyone to present a project idea at its monthly meeting. The Committee may provide guidance in varying degrees or may vote to implement the project based on available resources.

What is the selection criteria for artwork?

The selection criteria changes with each project. In general, the Public Art Committee expects that artwork be of the highest quality in both concept and execution, while recognizing public safety and durability. The Committee encourages proposals that balance the artistic design in the artwork with the setting of the designated area. When developing proposals, artists typically consider specific themes, the design aesthetics of an associated building, the traffic flow and, the use of the building and/or site.