Port of Dbq Artwork
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MEMORANDUM
November 15, 2005
TO:
The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM:
Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
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SUBJECT: Artwork at the Port of Dubuque
Included in the City of Dubuque's Vision Iowa application is the requirement to install art
elements and landscaping at the Port of Dubuque. As stated in the application, the
concept is to create art elements and landscaping throughout the Port of Dubuque to
add interest and create a sense of whimsy. The City of Dubuque currently has
$300,000 budgeted for this purpose and has received an extension from the Vision Iowa
Board to complete this project by June 30, 2006.
The City of Gillette, Wyoming has a municipal art project called the Avenues of Art that
would be a good model for the installation of art at the Port of Dubuque. Under this
program, the City of Gillette developed a database of artists from all over the United
States and invited them to submit their idea for a sculpture to be located in a public right
of way along a main thoroughfare in the city. The Mayor's Art Council serves as the
panel of judges who recommend the artwork to be selected and installed for a period of
one year beginning in June of each year. The selected artists receive a small stipend
for loaning the city his or her art for the year. The pieces are listed for sale, but are
required to be on display for a period of one year. During the course of the year, special
events are held to promote the idea of public art and to encourage the public to
purchase any of the sculptures on display for permanent placement in Gillette. At the
end of the year, the Mayor's Art Council holds a special reception where the art is
auctioned off. The Mayor's Art Council receives 25% of the sale price of all sculptures
that are sold to go towards expanding and providing long-term funding of the Avenues
of Art program. Any unsold artwork is returned to the artist.
Assistant City Manager Cindy Steinhauser is recommending working with the Cultural
Affairs Advisory Commission to implement a similar program in the Port of Dubuque and
Pyatigorsk Park. There would be ten sculptures in the Port of Dubuque and one in
Pyatigorsk Park. In partnership with the Dubuque Museum of Art, an artist database
could be developed. A selection committee could review artists' applications, with
eleven pieces selected each year for display to be auctioned at the end of a twelve-
month period. Every attempt would be made for one of the art pieces to come from
Russia through the City's Sister City relationship with Pyatigorsk.
The annual budget for this program would be approximately $30,000, and would be self-
funding between the $300,000 already committed through the Vision Iowa program and
income from the sale of art work.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
()'1t.ll;2 /17~1I
Michael C. Van Milligen _.
MCVM/ksf
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, Corporation Counsel
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Jerelyn O'Connor, Neighborhood Development Specialist
Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission
D'i:i~~E
~~~
MEMORANDUM
November 14, 2005
FROM:
Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager 1 . (,r
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manage(}J\\.Jb
Artwork at the Port of Dubuque
TO:
SUBJECT:
Introduction
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide a recommendation for implementation of
public art at the Port of Dubuque.
Backaround
Included in the city of Dubuque's Vision Iowa application is the requirement to install art
elements and landscaping at the Port of Dubuque. As stated in the application, the
concept is to create art elements and landscaping throughout the Port of Dubuque to
add interest and create a sense of whimsy. The city of Dubuque currently has $300,000
budgeted for this purpose and has received an extension from the Vision Iowa Board to
complete this project by June 30, 2006.
A committee consisting of Economic Development Director Dave Heiar, Planning
Services Manager Laura Carstens, City Engineer Gus Psihoyos, Budget Director Dawn
Lang and myself have had several meetings to discuss ways to implement art elements
within the Port of Dubuque. Based upon our discussions the committee has
recommended the idea of incorporating art through the entire Port of Dubuque versus
installing art in one location.
Discussion
The city of Gillette, Wyoming has a municipal art project called the Avenues of Art that
would be a good model for the installation of art at the Port of Dubuque. Under this
program, the City of Gillette developed a database of artists from all over the United
States and invited them to submit their idea for a sculpture to be located in a public right
of way along a main thoroughfare in the City. The artwork is included under the city's
insurance since it is located in the public right of way. The Mayor's Art Council serves
as the panel of judges who recommend the artwork to be selected and installed for a
period of one year beginning in June of each year. The selected artists receive a small
stipend for loaning the city his or her art for the year. The pieces are listed for sale, but
are required to be on display for a period of one year. During the course of the year,
special events are held to promote the idea of public art and to encourage the public to
purchase any of the sculptures on display for permanent placement in Gillette. At the
end of the year, the Mayor's Art Council holds a special reception where the art is
auctioned off. The Mayor's Art Council receives 25% of the sale price of all sculptures
that are sold to go towards expanding and providing long-term funding of the Avenues
of Art program. Any unsold artwork is returned to the artist.
The city of Gillette, Wyoming is now in the third year of the Avenues of the Arts and the
public response to the program has been overwhelmingly positive. In researching this
program with the City of Gillette administration, they indicated that it was important for
anyone undertaking a municipal arts program, to develop a strong database of artist.
Currently the City of Gillette maintains a database of over 1500 artists throughout the
United States and several Countries. Each year a city staff member and several
representatives from the Mayor's Art Council attend regional art shows to solicit artist's
interest in their program. This has been key to the high level of quality sculptures
received and the overall success of the Avenues of Art program along with having
qualified artists serve as judges on the selection committee. Attached are several
examples of public art that were displayed in Gillette, Wyoming as part of this program.
Based upon this information, I would propose that the City work with the Arts and
Cultural Affairs Commission to implement a similar program for the installation of
sculpture art at the Port of Dubuque. As previously indicated, the committee has
already identified 10 highly visible locations at the Port of Dubuque and one at
Pyatigorsk Park to locate this artwork. Attached is a map of the Port of Dubuque with
the areas identified for the location of art. Working in conjunction with the Commission
and other local resources such as the Dubuque Museum of Art, the City could develop
the artist database and application process for inviting artists to submit work for display
at the Port of Dubuque. A selection committee made up of juried artists could review the
applications and make a recommendation to the Commission and ultimately the City
Council on the selection of each years artwork. I visited with Neighborhood
Development Specialist Jerelyn O'Connor and she is in agreement that this is an
appropriate role for the Commission. Attached is a proposed budget that would fund the
Port of Dubuque Avenue of Art program for a period exceeding ten years using the
current budget of $300,000 as identified in the Vision Iowa proposal and anticipated
income of $50,000 over that 10-year period. It is anticipated that at the end of year ten,
the program would become self-funding based upon proceeds from the sale of art.
Should the City decide to proceed with this approach to installing public art at the Port of
Dubuque, a request would need to be submitted to the Vision Iowa board asking for
their approval.
Lastly, the city has also identified a location in the newly developed Pyatigorsk Park for
the installation of artwork. Using a similar process as defined above, I am
recommending that we work with representatives from our sister city committee to
select a sculptor from Pyatigorsk, Russia to annually receive a sculpture that would be
placed at Pyatigorsk Park and auctioned or returned on an annual basis. The City
would cover the shipping costs for the artwork and travel costs for the artist to make one
visit to Dubuque.
Reauest
The requested action is for City Council to approve the proposed Port of Dubuque
Avenue of Art program for the creation of public art at the Port of Dubuque and
Pyatigorsk Park.
Cc: Dawn Lang, Budget Director
Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer
Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager
Dave Heiar, Economic Development
Gil Spence, Leisure Services Manager
Jerelyn O'Connor, Neighborhood Development Specialist
Port of Dubuque
Avenue of Art Project Budget
Vision Iowa budget
Artwork Income from 25% of sales over
10 years
Total
$300,000
$50,000
$350,000
Year 1
Item
Artist stipend ($1500 each)
Bases for artwork
Regional Art show
Art installation
Promotion/auction
Printing and mailing
Pyatigorsk park
Amount
$15,000
$5,000 onetime expense
$4,000
$2,000
$1,500
$1,500
$5,000
Total year 1
$34,000
Year2-10
Artist stipend
Regional art show
Art Installation
Promotion/auction
Printing and mailing
Miscellaneous
$15,000
$4,000
$2,000
$2,000
$2,000
$5,000
$30,000
Total years 2 - 10
Ri ver Rushes
Page I of I
AVENUES OF ART 2005
River Rushes
Artist Tom Newport - Cedar Rapids, Iowa
River Rushes is located on the west side of 4- J Road near Cottonwood Park
and is sponsored by John Naugle, D.D.S,
Greg's Welding, Inc., and Radix Construction
$5,000
http://www.ci.gillette.wy.us/mac/RiverRushes.html
10/1812005
Quackers
Quackers
Artist Mike Dwyer
-- SOLD --
Quackers is located at Gillette Avenue & 2nd Street
and is sponsored by Newson Associates, Greg's
Welding, Inc., and Sphere, Inc.
$5,900
http://www.ci.gillette.wy.us/mac/Quackers.html
Page 1 of 1
10/18/2005
Stepping Stones
Page 1 ofl
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Stepping Stones
Artist Dan Hildreth
-- SOLD --
Stepping Stones is located on the west side of 4- J Road
and is sponsored by Janet Shepherd, D & S Casing Service,
Greg's Welding, Inc., and Radix Construction.
$8,900
http://www.ci.gillette.wy.us/mac/Stepping%20Stones.html
10/18/2005
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