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MEETING DATE: 09/17/12
ITEM NO: S
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
SEPTEMBER 12, 2012
MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
GREG LARSON, TOWN MANAGER yd)
SUBJECT: ACCEPT ARTS PLAN UPDATE AND ARTS AND CULTURAL COMMISSION
RECOMMENDATION REGARDING PUBLIC ART INSTALLATION PROJECTS
RECOMMENDATION:
Accept Arts Plan update and Arts and Cultural Commission recommendation regarding public art
installation projects
BACKGROUND:
The Town Council approved an Arts Plan in December 2010, which included four public art projects:
• Forbes Mill Footbridge Revitalization Project
• Banner Program
• Public Art Displays
• Art in the Council Chambers, Sister City Exchange
The Plan was approved with the understanding that the Commission would return with more specific
implementation actions for the first two projects. In October 2011, the Arts and Cultural Commission
(ACC) returned to Council with detailed action plans for Forbes Mill Footbridge and the Banner
Program and Council authorized the ACC to proceed with implementation of those two projects. The
intent of this report is to provide an update on those efforts as well as to discuss two public art display
opportunities evaluated by the ACC.
DISCUSSION:
Arts Plan January 2011 -June 2013: Accomplishments
On December 3, 2010, the Town Council approved the Arts Plan for the period January 201 ltoJune
2013 (Attachment 1). The plan identifies four focus areas: Long Term Vision and Mission Statement,
PREPARED BY: PAMELA JACOBS 7rq� o �(C)WD
ASSISTANT TOWN MANAGER
Reviewed by: Assistant Town Manager Town Attorney
Finance
CAUseis \pjacobs \Desklop\Ans Plan - Cat Walk report.doc
PAGE
MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
SUBJECT: ACCEPT ARTS PLAN UPDATE AND RECOMMENDA T ION REGARDING PUBLIC
ART INSTALLATION PROJECT
September 12, 2012
Public Art, Funding, and Communication. These focus areas were developed to meet the Town
Strategic Goal of restructuring community arts and culture programs and services to meet community
priorities and needs. The following is an update on the ACC's accomplishments towards meeting that
goal through implementation of the Arts Plan.
Long Term Vision & Mission Statement
The ACC's long term vision is to create a vibrant, collaborative and creative Los Gatos where the arts
are a defining feature of the community's identity and unique character. Its mission is for the ACC to be
advocates for artistic expression that enriches the Los Gatos experience. These statements were
immediately put into action upon approval of the Arts Plan in 2010. The ACC has worked to further
define components of the Arts Plan per Council direction and are continuously identifying new ways to
further their mission. Programming efforts to meet the other three Arts Plan focus areas have
strengthened the ACC's Mission and are designed to meet the long term vision for arts in the
community.
Public Art — Increase the number of public art displays
In September 2011, the Council authorized the ACC to implement plans for the Banner Program and the
Forbes Mill Footbridge Revitalization Project.
• Banner Program:
A Call for Artists was issued for the Banner Program based on the authorized
implementation plan. Due to a lack of interest from the artist community, the ACC elected to put
this Program on hold. In its place, the ACC has selected one of the Public Art Display projects —
The Cat Walk — to replace the Banner Program, as discussed later in this report.
Forbes Mill Footbridge Revitalization Project:
The authorized implementation plan for this project is nearing completion. The ACC has
successfully worked with the Los Gatos Saratoga Recreation Department (LGS Recreation) to
establish a summer youth art program in which 23 pieces of art were produced. All of the art
was digitized and will be transferred to vinyl panels that will be installed on the bridge. The
ACC has worked with the Parks and Public Works Department to identify the most cost effective
and efficient way to replace damaged panels and repaint portions of the bridge. Staff has worked
with families involved with the initial artwork and identified five pieces that the families have
requested to remain. These pieces will be recreated on vinyl for re- installment with the first
replacement effort. It is anticipated that this first series of panels will be installed by
October/November.
Public outreach to publicize the effort included displaying the bridge's original artwork at Jazz
on the Plazz and Music in the Park events in late August. The work is currently displayed at
Togos in King's Court and will remain there for the next three months.
PAGE
MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
SUBJECT: ACCEPT ARTS PLAN UPDATE AND RECOMMENDATION REGARDING PUBLIC
September 12, 2012
The initial panel installation will cost approximately $187 per panel, totaling $5,610. Funding
for this project comes in part from fees collected by the LGS Recreation ($1,080). The
remaining $4,530 will be covered out of the $9,800 in funds allocated towards implementation of
the Arts Plan. Future funds will need to be identified to continue with the project. The cost of
repainting bridge railings and panels will be absorbed by the Parks and Public Works
Department, which may delay other expenditures scheduled for this year.
Funding — Develop funds for the arts
Per the Arts Plan, $9,800 was shifted from a Downtown Gateway project to fund the first year of the
Arts Plan. Long term funding strategies to fund the Arts Plan programs on an ongoing basis are yet to be
formulated. Staff has begun doing research on available grants and funding programs and will work
with a sub - committee to identify effective long -term funding strategies.
Communication— Develop communication strategies for the arts
The ACC has been investigating and prioritizing marketing tactics for approved projects and programs.
The publicity efforts surrounding the Forbes Mill Footbridge Revitalization Project are examples of that
strategy. In addition, the ACC has developed more specific communication strategies that will provide
communication about arts and culture. These strategies will focus on three elements:
1. Celebrating existing art projects
2. Publicizing upcoming art projects
3. Inspiring new art
The ACC will focus on three major categories of art: performing arts, visual arts, and cultural arts. The
ACC has identified communication outlets and is working with staff to develop standards that will meet
the policies and guidelines in the Town's Commissioner Handbook in terms of communicating with the
media. Overall, the ACC offers to support the Town's communication efforts in the following ways:
1) serve as a clearinghouse for arts and cultural information; 2) actively seek out arts /culture projects to
celebrate /publicize; and 3) offer support/recommendations for collaboration with organizations on
publicity.
Public Art Installation Projects
Proposed Pageant Park Art Installation
On June 18, 2012 the Town Council approved landscaping plans for the renovation of the historic Town
Pageant Grounds. The proposed landscaping plans for Pageant Ground renovations call for two primary
areas of landscape design. The lower level includes a circle of benches surrounds a flagstone terrace
with a raised planter for shade trees and a possible location for public art. The upper level will feature
natural turf with ADA access provided directly to additional tables and benches. The Pageant Ground
renovation project could provide a budget of up to $20,000 for art, which could potentially be installed
Spring 2013.
PAGE
MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
SUBJECT: ACCEPT ARTS PLAN UPDATE AND RECOMMENDATION REGARDING PUBLIC
ART INSTALLATION PROJECT
September 12, 2012
In July, staff discussed the opportunity for selecting public art for the Pageant Grounds with the ACC as
per the Town's adopted Public Art Policy. Staff presented the landscaping plans and toured the site with
a sub - committee of the ACC. As a result of that meeting and based on their comments, staff developed
and presented a Call for Artists document for the ACC in August.
ACC's Recommendation:
At the August meeting, the ACC unanimously voted to not move forward with a public art installation at
Pageant Grounds unless the location for the art could be modified. The ACC stated that the approved art
installation area is too concealed and will not have any impact. Specifically, the ACC believe that art at that
location would not be viewed as public art, but rather as "hidden" art, due to the location being inaccessible and
unsuitable. Staff informed the ACC that in order to change the location on the approved landscape plan
for an art installation, Parks and Public Works (PPW) staff would be required to revise the specifications
for the contract bid and return to Town Council for approval. This would likely push the timeline for the
renovation project into the spring.
In addition a group of volunteers drawn from Los Gatos service clubs and other organizations is
developing plans for a Veterans memorial in Los Gatos for Town consideration later in the fall. The
potential sites being considered include the Pageant Grounds.
The Council can direct any of the following:
1. Direct staff and the ACC to identify alternative locations for public art in Pageant Grounds for
review and action by the Town Council.
2. Direct staff to proceed with the Pageant Grounds public art project in the previously approved
location.
3. Suspend any work on the Pageant Grounds public art project pending other work efforts and
future consideration of potential Veterans memorial opportunities.
Proposed Cat Walk Art Installation
The 2011 approved Arts Plan identified four potential public art projects. One of those projects
involved the installation of public art displays. The goal of including public art display installations
within the Art Plan was to install one to two pieces of public art every two years.
As a part of that initiative, the ACC was authorized to develop a list of approved public art locations.
The Public Art sub - committee identified three potential display projects and recommended moving
forward with the Cat Walk proposal when the Banner project was suspended due to lack of response.
The Cat Walk is an art installation proposed for Downtown Los Gatos, predominately oriented along
Santa Cruz Avenue. The proposed project would celebrate the Town's namesake through a creative and
integrated art display. Artists would be asked to create 4 -12 designs of unique and individualized cats.
The cats would be crafted of lightweight and durable materials that would be both weather and vandal
proof, with a lifespan of not less than 10 years. The size of the cats would be between 10 and 24 inches
and would not exceed 10 pounds.
PAGE
MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
SUBJECT: ACCEPT ARTS PLAN UPDATE AND RECOMMENDATION REGARDING PUBLIC
ART INSTALLATION PROJECT
September 12, 2012
Staff recommended a one -year pilot program and the ACC sub - committee recommends that the cats
remain in the trees for 10 years, with an assessment of the cats' condition, cost issues, and effectiveness
of the display after one year. The cats would be placed in designated public trees lining N. Santa Cruz
between Main Street and Bachman Avenue. As a part of the selection process, PPW would work with
the artists selected by the sub - committee to identify the best installation practices and location for each
cat. The artist would be responsible for designing brackets to affix the artwork to the tree, subject to
PPW approval.
The ACC proposes to utilize a portion of the remaining Arts Plan funds (approximately $5,300 after the
Footbridge project) to commission the selected artists, and to cover installation and maintenance costs.
The ACC envisions that in future years, placement ofthe cats will be expanded to shops that wish to
participate and other public locations such as flower boxes and lamp poles. Guidelines and criteria to
encourage and facilitate new Cat Walk artwork would be developed after implementation of the pilot
year. Funding for the Cat Walk beyond the initial year is expected to come from grants, private citizens,
and/or service clubs.
Issues for Consideration
Staff has discussed a number of issues associated with the Cat Walk project with the ACC. The ACC
believes that the issues can be mitigated and has recommended mitigation actions. Staff has
recommended mitigation measures, as well. Following are the issues raised by staff:
• Impact to the health of Downtown street trees
• Installation and maintenance responsibilities and costs
• Logistics associated with general tree maintenance
• Potential for vandalism
• Disposition of cats following their removal
• Public health and safety
• Liability
Recommended Mitigation Actions
Mitigation actions recommended by the ACC or staff include the following:
Selecting only one or two artists to save time and minimize the number of installation methods.
Installing the cat sculptures in the nook of the trees rather than on branches. This will help to
mitigate the concern over the weight of the cats, and potentially regarding tree maintenance. The
downtown trees are not scheduled for trimming for another two to three years, and thus trimming
to accommodate the cats cannot occur for this project, unless paid for out of project funds, if any
remain, or from donations.
If this project is approved, staff recommends scheduling this project in late spring to avoid
potential conflicts with tree lighting installations and other priority PPW work, to avoid harsh
weather conditions when the cats are first installed and to ensure public viewing time during
Downtown's peak months.
PAGE 6
MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
SUBJECT: ACCEPT ARTS PLAN UPDATE AND RECOMMFNDATION REGARDING PUBLIC
ART INSTALLATION PROJECT
September 12, 2012
• As with most of the Town's other public art, the cats would be considered a temporary donation
from the artists and returned to the artists after removal. Artists may subsequently donate the art
to other organizations.
• Issues of liability will still need to be addressed, as the cats would be on a public thoroughfare
that is narrow and subject to high volumes of both pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
While a number of issues still need to be addressed regarding the Cat Walk project, if Council approves
proceeding with the project, staff will work with the ACC to resolve them.
CONCLUSION
Staff requests that Council accept the update on the accomplishments related to the Arts Plan January
2011 -June 2013. Staff also seeks Council direction regarding the public art project for Pageant Grounds
and the Cat Walk project.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding in the amount of $9,800 is included in the FY 2012 -13 budget.
Attachments:
1. Arts Plan: January 2011 —June 2013
Focus AREA
Long Term
Vision &
Mission
Statement
Public Art
Funding
ARTS PLAN: JANUARY 2011 - JUNE 2013
DESCRIPTION TiMELINF
Create long -term vision for the Arts in Los Gatos and define
ACC role
Long Term Vision Implement immediately
A vibrant, collaborative and creative Los Gatos where the alts are a pending Town Council
defining feature of our identity and unique character approval.
Commission Mission Statement
Advocates for artistic expression that enriches the Los Gatos
experience;
Increase the number of public art displays
Forbes Mill Footbridge Revitalization Project
Revitalize this piece of public art while keeping the original purpose Continuous summer
of incorporating art from youth in our community based on the project beginning 2011
theme, Capturing Life in Los Gatos.
Banner Program
Enrich Downtown Los Gatos by incorporating public alt into the
existing banner program,
Public Art Displays
Increase the number of public art displays by installing one to two
pieces of public art every two years.
Art in the Council Chambers, Sister City Exchange
Coordinate with an identified sister city to have one installment of
Alt in the Council Chambers be a collection of pieces from the city
Develop funds for the Arts
Short term funding strategy- Retarget the approximately $9,800
Public Art funds in 6999 - 68711, previously ear marked for a
Gateway project, to fund the first year of the Arts Plan.
Long term funding strategies- Develop sustainable options to find
programs on an ongoing basis.
Communication Develop communication strategies for the arts.
Investigate and prioritize marketing tactics for approved projects and
programs.
COUNCI L APPROVED 12/611.0
N:\CSD\ARTtARTs COMMISSIOMARTS PLAN JANUARY 2011 -2013
Bi- annual program
beginning 2011/2012
Bi- annual program
beginning 2012/2013
Incorporated in the
AICC schedule by
2012/2013
Reallocate immediately
pending Town Council
approval.
Sub - Committee and staff
will begin to work on
long term funding
strategies,
Actions aground specific
communication will be
discussed and explored
pending Town Council
approval of this plan.
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