NCLM.ORG 35 Winston-Salem, itself branded the City of Arts & Innovation, and Forsyth County together provide resources for Bennett’s office, which has been active for roughly seven years. Occupancy tax money, directed toward tourism uses, has been a substantial source of the funding. Funds have also come via a bond referendum and a project that brought in private dollars, which “turned into a really cool project on a water tank,” Bennett said. The once-plain tank was completely transformed with an appealing otter mural and won television media attention when it took first-place in a national contest focused on municipal water facilities. “We have also funded (public art) in partnership with a developer who was building a residential building downtown and wanted to see public art nearby,” Bennett said. The private developer contributed half the funds toward a sculpture placement on the city block. A “percent for art” is another way many local governments fund public art. In Raleigh, 1% of municipal construction funds are set aside for public art. The city created a Public Art and Design Board to oversee implementation. For CATS, Lange noted a similar approach; capital improvement projects include a percent allocated for art. Temporary operating budget allocations have also contributed. Lange’s office is centered around public art in a transit context—light rail stations, park-and-rides, bus stops, and so on. Another office with the City of Charlotte also gets a percent for art, its work dealing with bond packages and vertical constructions among other things. Expressions of public art—remember, it’s art—can vary widely. To barely scratch the surface: sculptures in parks or downtown plazas; graphic wraps to improve the looks of utility boxes or other unsightly infrastructure; sidewalks and crosswalks dazzled with painted designs; dynamic, mechanical whirligigs or installations with interactive components; and the classic, popular mural. Municipal Equation asked the panelists how something as seemingly simple and straightforward as a mural—on, say, the side of a facilities building—is brought to fruition with government gears. For Lange’s office, it begins with a call to artists and a request-for-qualifications. “From there we will work with our advisory committee to form a selection panel,” Lange continued, explaining that people from around the community who are knowledgeable about art—art teachers, museum experts and so on—would make up the selection panel. Once an artist is selected for the mural, the city will work with that artist to develop a design and ultimately enter into a contract so work can begin. Bennett said his office follows similar steps for smaller projects, which in the process may involve candidate artists submitting examples of past work to give the city an idea of caliber and style. For larger projects, the government’s purchasing policy requires formal proposals. An obvious question followed for the panelists: Is there any weight given to local artists? Perfectly qualified, proven artists from around the country might be submitting interest, but there might also be significance in working with the city’s own talent. continues on page 39 continued from page 33 Public Art
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