Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge - Letter of Intent Copyright 2014
City of Dubuque Consent Items # 6.
ITEM TITLE: Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge - Letter of Intent
SUMMARY: City Manager recommending approval to submit a Bloomberg
Philanthropies Public Art Challenge Letter of Intent.
SUGGESTED DISPOSITION: Suggested Disposition: Receive and File; Approve
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
❑ Bloomberg Philanthropies Letter of Intent-MVM Memo City Manager Memo
❑ Staff Memo Staff Memo
❑ Letter of Intent Supporting Documentation
THE CITY OF Dubuque
UBE I
erica .i
Masterpiece on the Mississippi 2007-2012-2013
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge Letter of Intent
DATE: December 29, 2014
Economic Development Coordinator Megan Starr recommends City Council approval to
submit a Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge Letter of Intent requesting
$996,288 in Bloomberg Philanthropies funding for the development and programming of
Creative Commons, a 1 00' X 400' linear park to be located at 4t" and Bell Streets in the
Port of Dubuque. Bloomberg Philanthropies does not require matching funds to be
eligible.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
Micliael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Teri Goodmann, Assistant City Manager
Megan Starr, Economic Development Coordinator
Maurice Jones, Economic Development Director
Dubuque Economic Development Department
THE CITY OF 50 West 13th Street
All-AmMmIily Dubuque,Iowa 52001-4864
DUB34k jE1 I Office(563)589-4393
TTY(563)690-6678
® http://www.cityofdubuque.org
Masterpiece on the Mississippi 200.2012.2013
TO: Michael Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Megan Starr, Economic Development Coordinator
SUBJECT: Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge Letter of Intent
DATE: December 23, 2014
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memo is to request approval for submittal of a Bloomberg
Philanthropies Public Art Challenge Letter of Intent.
DISCUSSION
Recently Bloomberg Philanthropies announced a new grant program that will fund at
least three cities up to $1 million each year over two years. The goal of the public art
challenge is to support temporary public art projects that celebrate creativity, enhance
urban identity, encourage public-private partnerships, and drive economic development.
Attached is a Letter of requesting $996,228.00 in Bloomberg Philanthropies funding for
the development and programming of Creative Commons, a 100' X 400' linear park to
be located at 4th and Bell Streets in the Port of Dubuque. Bloomberg Philanthropies
does not require matching funds to be eligible. Should the city be fortunate to receive
funding, this grant will be administered by the Economic Development Department and
the city's Arts and Cultural Affairs Coordinator.
RECOMMENDATION/ ACTION STEP
I recommend approval of the attached Letter of Intent for an Bloomberg Philanthropies
Public Art Challenge Grant.
CC: Geri Shafer, Art Management Consultant
Maurice Jones, Economic Development Director
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Dear Public Art Challenge Applicant,
Your application has been submitted successfully, and the tracking number is 25877. For your
records, here is a copy of your submission. For current information about the Public Art
Challenge, please refer to http://publicartchallenge.bloomberg.org.
City Details
1. City Information
Name of City
Please enter as "City of ...", "Town of ..", etc.
City of Dubuque
City Hall Street Address
50 W 13th Street
City
Dubuque
State
IA
If your state/territory is not listed, please enter it below.
Zip Code
52001
Population
58,253
Website
www.cityofdubuque.org
2. Mayor or Chief Executive Contact Information
Please enter the following information for the mayor or chief executive of
your city.
Title
Mayor
Prefix
Mr.
First Name
Roy
Middle Initial
D
Last Name
Buol
Email
rdbuol@cityofdubuque.org
Phone
(563)564-5455
Month and year current term ends (mm/yy)
Iz/zoic
Eligible for another term
Please enter "Yes" or "No"
Yes
3. Liaison Contact Information
Please check the box if your Liaison contact is the same as the mayor or
chief executive of your city.
The screen will refresh and automatically enter the Liaison Contact Information.
Title
Economic Development Coordinator
Prefix
Ms.
First Name
Megan
Middle Initial
0
Last Name
Starr
Email
mstarr@cityofdubuque.org
Phone
563.690.6059
Application Details
4. Project Information
Proposed Project Title
Creative Commons
Proposed Project Description
(300 words maximum)
Creative Commons will be an intimate outdoor public place devoted to artistic and
creative expression in the city of Dubuque. Furnished with state-of-the-art sound and
lighting equipment, Creative Commons will draw people to inspire and support creativity
through music, laser light shows, performance, stories, theater, visual arts and
community engagement. Created to symbolize a ripple effect and located in the Port of
Dubuque, the park is designed to represent the flow of the Mississippi River and the
surrounding limestone bluff areas using materials native to this area.
Creative Commons is located in Dubuque's Downtown Cultural Corridor (DDCC). The
DDCC is a not-for-profit organization that supports year-round, free, diverse arts and
culture programming to the entire community, and will provide guidance and
programming support to Creative Commons. Creative Commons serves as an invitation
for anyone to participate in the DDCC. Through the creation of a grant fund, artists, urban
designers, arts and cultural organizations, students and individuals of all backgrounds
from the City of Dubuque will be invited to submit proposals to create or commission
temporary visual and performance art at Creative Commons. Creative Commons will
provide the opportunity to exhibit two and three dimensional artworks, utilize laser light
technology to produce performance art and sound equipment for live musical and spoken
word performance. The competitive grant process will be reviewed by the DDCC review
committee and their recommendations will be passed along to Arts and Cultural Affairs
Advisory Commission for submission to City Council for their approval. Successful
applicants will enlist nationally recognized artists, encourage the use of participatory
design and emphasize placemaking and temporary art forms. This process will ensure
diverse and high-caliber programming for the inaugural year. A full-time arts and cultural
affairs program coordinator will be hired to coordinate the variety of uses for Creative
Commons.
Proposed Project Date Open to the Public
05/06/2016
Proposed Project End Date
05/01/2017
Total Project Costs
3,200,268.00
Total Committed Funds, if any, as of November 2014
Enter $0 if no funds have been committed
1,200,000.00
Amount Requested from Bloomberg Philanthropies (up to $1 million)
996,228.00
S. Project Location(s)
List street address(es) of the proposed work.
Please be specific regarding the location(s) of your project, including address(es), city,
state, and zip code. If your project has multiple sites, please list each on a separate line.
501 Bell Street
Dubuque, IA
52001
6. Project Team
Brief bio(s) of the principal artist(s), artistic director and/or curator who
will be responsible for delivering the artistic quality of your project.
(300 words maximum)
Geri Shafer, MA, an Arts Management Consultant with 30 years of experience works with
arts and cultural organizations to create effective practices in leadership and staff
development, fundraising, volunteer management, and visual and performing arts public
program development involving cross-cultural communities. Geri serves on the Board of
Directors for Voices Productions and serves on the Dubuque Area Convention and Visitors
Bureau Advisory Committee.
Steven Ulstad, Architect, AIA, with 35 years of design and planning of architectural,
interiors and landscape design experience to institutional, commercial and public projects.
Steve is a graduate of Iowa State University with a BA in Architecture. He is a registered
Architect in Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin and with the National Council of Architectural
Registration Boards (NCARB).Steve is a member of the American Institute of Architects
(AIA), and an Associate Member of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA)
Megan Starr, Arts and Cultural Affairs Coordinator, provides support for the city's arts and
cultural affairs activities, including promotion and administration of the city's arts and
culture operating and project support grants, Art on the River, an outdoor sculpture
exhibition, and development of a Master Plan for Arts and Culture for the City. Megan
provides staff support to the Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission to further the
city's arts and cultural goals and prepares grant applications and coordinates
administration and implementation of grant-funded.
Dan LoBianco, Executive Director of Dubuque Main Street Ltd., is certified in downtown
management by the National Main Street Center and the National Trust for Historic
Preservation. Dan manages the Downtown Dubuque Cultural Corridor, a subsidiary of
Dubuque Main Street and one of Iowa's inaugural official cultural districts. He is a
member of the City's Economic Development Stakeholder Team, the Greater Dubuque
Development Corporation's Economic Development/Marketing Coordination Group; Rising
Star Theatre company Board and more.
Names and titles of any additional individuals and/or companies that will
be responsible for implementing the project idea, including engineers,
fabricators, etc.
Please list each on a separate line. (200 words maximum)
Jonathan Rustebakke currently serves as the Technical Director and Production Manager
for the Heritage Center for Performing Arts at the University of Dubuque. As a graduate of
Northwestern College in St. Paul, MN, Jonathan gained experience as a Scenic Carpenter,
Lighting Designer, Master Electrician, and Technical Director for theatres in New England.
For 8 years Jonathan worked for Carnival Cruise Lines as Lighting Supervisor for their
fleet of 24 ships.
Names and titles of all government and/or private sector agencies and/or
entities that will have a role in presenting the project to the public.
Please list each entry on a separate line. (200 words maximum)
The success of Creative Commons will depend upon the commitment of the entire
community and its citizens. One of Dubuque's strengths is its history of public/private
partnerships. The following entities will be instrumental in making the case for Creative
Commons:
Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque
Dan LoBianco, Director, Downtown Dubuque Cultural Corridor
Geri Shafer, MA, Arts Management Consultant
Steven Ulstad, Architect, AIA
Keith Rahe, President and CEO, Dubuque Area Convention and Visitors Bureau
Arts and Cultural Advisory Commission, City of Dubuque
Roy D. Buol, Mayor, City of Dubuque
Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager, City of Dubuque
Maurice Jones, Economic Development Director, City of Dubuque
Megan Starr, Arts and Cultural Affairs Coordinator, City of Dubuque
Marie Ware, Leisure Services Manager, City of Dubuque
In the event there is a change in mayoral or executive administration,
describe how continuity of project management will be preserved
throughout the implementation period.
(200 words maximum)
Since 1920, Dubuque has operated under the council-manager form of local government,
which combines the political leadership of elected officials in the form of a city council,
with the managerial experience of an appointed local government manager, the city
manager.
The Mayor and City Council are the leaders and policy makers elected to represent the
community and to concentrate on policy issues that are responsive to citizens' needs and
wishes. The city manager is appointed by the city council to carry out policy and the
administrative responsibilities.
The city manager appoints department managers to manage the day-to-day operations of
various city services. The department managers in turn delegate to their staff members
the tasks needed to carry out that department's responsibilities, programs, and services.
Changes in the Mayor, the City Council, and the city manager do not impact the day-to-
day provision of city services, programs, or grant administration. For example, during the
ten-year America's River project at the Port of Dubuque, a new Mayor and several new
Council members were elected. This $348 million riverfront revitalization effort, involving
public, private, and non-profit partners, and local, state, and federal funding, continued
without a pause. Creative Commons is no different.
7. Funding and Public/Private Partnership
What are the proposed sources of funds to be secured in addition to the
Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge grant?
Please state prospective donors and dollar amounts, listing each on a separate line. (200
words maximum)
Foundation requests:
$500,000.00 (ArtsPlace America),
$100,000.00 (NEA Our Town Grant)
Planned confidential requests include naming opportunities solicited from national,
regional, local foundations, corporations, businesses and individual donors for various
elements of Creative Commons. The following dollar amounts indicate the value of
infrastructure elements within Creative Commons (Seating, lighting, kiosk, staging, etc.):
$500,000.00
$354,000.00
$104,000.00
$70,000.00
$60,000.00
$50,000.00
$30,000.00
$25,000.00
$5,400.00
$5,000.00
What (if any) in-kind contributions do you anticipate?
Please state the source of all prospective contributions and their dollar value, listing each
on a separate line. (200 words maximum)
Dubuque Area Convention and Visitors Bureau: $5,000.00
Downtown Dubuque Cultural Corridor Committee: $24,000.00
Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission: $10,800.00
How will the project be coordinated? What entity will be in charge of
ensuring smooth collaboration among your city and the artist(s) and/or
arts organization(s)?
(250 words maximum)
The Arts and Cultural Affairs Coordinator is currently a part-time position housed in the
Economic Development Department for the City of Dubuque. Once established, Creative
Commons will necessitate a full-time staff person to provide program coordination to the
Creative Commons. The full time Arts and Cultural Affairs Coordinator will act as liaison
between the Downtown Dubuque Cultural Corridor Review Committee and the Arts and
Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission. The Coordinator will be responsible for soliciting
and marketing calls for proposals, managing inquiries about Creative Commons and
providing on-site coordination of events and art happenings. The Coordinator will also
work closely with the City of Dubuque's Leisure Services department to address any
landscape and maintenance issues as well as effectively communicate with businesses
and organization located within the Port of Dubuque. The Arts and Cultural Affairs
Coordinator will ensure strong communication among all collaborators and stakeholders
invested in the project to ensure events and installations are successful, organized and
completed in a collaborative and professional manner.
Partner organization involvement as well as guidance from the Economic Development
Department, the Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission and City Council will
ensure that Creative Commons furthers public awareness of, accessibility to, participation
in, and support for the artistic and cultural development of the City.
How have you determined the amount you are requesting from Bloomberg
Philanthropies for this project?
(200 words maximum)
The request to Bloomberg Philanthropies reflects costs associated with park infrastructure
($432,706.00), operational support ($48,522.00), maintenance ($15,000.00), and
funding for arts cultural programming, marketing and outreach ($500,000.00). The
requested funds for park infrastructure are those expenses directly related to components
of Creative Commons which will accommodate various forms of temporary art
installations and performances, such as sound and lighting equipment, laser light show
technology, an interactive kiosk, artist commissioned fencing as well as seating and
staging expenses. Operational support reflects the cost of hiring a full-time Arts and
Cultural Affairs Coordinator who will facilitate programming and coordination of Creative
Commons. Maintenance reflects costs for landscaping and park infrastructure upkeep.
Program funding will be made available to individuals and arts organizations within the
City of Dubuque to create or commission temporary installations and performance art at
Creative Commons. Program funding will strengthen Dubuque's reputation as a
community that values and supports all forms of artistic expression by providing
unprecedented funding and access to art forms for broad populations.
S. Marketing and Audience Engagement
Briefly describe your desired audience for this project.
(200 words maximum)
A community of 59,000 located on the Mississippi River, Dubuque is a regional destination
hosting visitors from all fifty states and nearly 30 countries. In an area underutilized, the
new park design will offer imaginative ways to present a wealth of arts and cultural
experiences for all who live, work, and visit - increasing vibrancy to the area. Usually
vacant, the Commons design and increased visibility will help brand it as a destination for
the 1,700,000 visitors, 9 area employers and 1,400 employees visiting the historic
riverfront area. Creative Commons will be accessible by foot, wheelchair, bicycle, public
transportation and vehicle traffic with parking available. Dubuque supports 45 arts and
cultural organizations that appeal to a diversity of audiences. Creative Commons will act
as a beacon to these organizations as well as regional, national and international artists
and provide a shared forum to examine and explore creative exchanges between artists,
institutions and individuals. Creative Commons will create a place where the community
can showcase the positive impact we can all have on each other in our daily lives using
the visual and performing arts as a universal language and as a connecting force
regardless of their ethnic background or lifestyle.
How do you plan to reach this audience?
(200 words maximum)
Audience and artist engagement is crucial to the success of Creative Commons. The
positive impact of this project will depend upon the commitment of the entire community.
One of Dubuque's strengths is its history of public/private partnerships. The scale and
reach of this project warrants such a partnership among the business, public, nonprofit
organizations, the arts and culture communities, and individuals. Through these
partnerships, Creative Commons will be positioned to attract a broad audience to
patronize and participate in this new place. A diverse and engaged audience will help to
ensure that programming is innovative and relevant. By removing physical and financial
barriers to participation, patrons will be able to participate in arts and cultural events they
would not otherwise experience. Furthermore, Creative Commons will enable participating
organizations to reach new audiences- offering a gateway experience to other arts and
cultural offerings throughout the city. A website and brochure are in development and
social media will be used as a means of developing awareness of the project. We will
solicit artist and patron participation through local and regional print, social and multi-
media platforms.
Name any potential partners (city agencies, media outlets, etc.) that will
assist in the development and execution of your marketing and audience
engagement plan.
Please list each entity on a separate line. (200 words maximum)
Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque
Downtown Dubuque Cultural Corridor
Dubuque Area Convention and Visitors Bureau
Economic Development Department (City of Dubuque)
Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission (City of Dubuque)
Leisure Services Department (City of Dubuque)
Dubuque Chamber of Commerce
Dubuque 365 Newspaper
Julien's Journal
Greater Dubuque Development Corporation
Med iacom
Telegraph Herald Newspaper
KCRG (ABC Affiliate)
KWWL (NBC Affiliate)
Local radio stations
9. Evaluating Outcomes
How will you assess the impact of this project?
(250 words maximum)
To measure the effectiveness of our programming and outreach efforts, we will engage in
on-going dialogue with the project partners as well as patrons to Creative Commons. We
will develop a Creative Commons Stakeholder Committee which will include Port of
Dubuque Property Owners, Downtown Dubuque Cultural Corridor representatives, Arts
and Cultural Affairs Commissioners, Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque Staff and
City of Dubuque Staff will meet quarterly to evaluate the success of Creative Commons
programming. Through patron surveys that will be accessible through the on-site kiosk,
we hope to understand and improve the relationship with various communities and
examine the communities' perception of their experience with Creative Commons to
inform planning and operational decisions. An annual report prepared in collaboration
with the Creative Commons Stakeholder committee and other key partners, will
document outcomes in artist engagement and visitor counts and evaluate event data,
participant data, communications between staff and other constituents and prioritization
of goals. These results will be distributed to all participating partners and city leadership
and made available to the public through print and digital media.
Name any partners you plan to work with on this assessment.
Please list each entity on a separate line. (150 words maximum)
City of Dubuque
Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque
Downtown Dubuque Cultural Corridor
Dubuque Area Convention and Visitors Bureau
Port of Dubuque Property Owners