Public Art in the Public Realm: An Analysis · Their mission is to enliven and beautify the City’s environment, and encourage and promote awareness of the City’s rich ethnic,

Public Art in the Public Realm: An Analysis

SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY Department of Urban Studies and Planning

SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY Department of Urban Studies and Planning

Megan Anderson Valerie Carrasco Andy Clark Sam Coston

In partnership with: Berkeley Department of Planning and Development

Public Art in the Public Realm: An Analysis

DOWNTOWN BERKELEY | History and Planning for the Future

The City of Berkeley is currently developing a Streets and Open Space Improvement Plan (SOSIP) to guide public invest-

ments in its Downtown Area. SOSIP is being developed to help guide the revitalization of Downtown Berkeley; to facilitate

the

reemergence of the area as a memorable and attractive destination imbued with true sense of place; and to strengthen the

vibrancy, energy, and diversity of the social, cultural and economic activities that take place within Berkeley’s urban heart.

The SOSIP focuses on improvements to the public realm, which is vital to enhancing the enjoyment of Downtown and pro-

moting economic development goals. Streets and open space get little attention in the 1990 Downtown Plan, which placed

emphasis on historic preservation and cultural destinations. The 1990 Plan was very much in response to the slow degrada-

tion of the urban character of the Downtown Area over the preceding decades. Many of the businesses and buildings that

made Downtown Berkeley such a family friendly, vibrant urban center, had been slowly replaced with new buildings and fast-

food restaurants that lacked the character and quality of the area’s historical buildings. Cultural and historical amenities were

turned to restore the area’s vitality.

The SOSIP sprang from the development of a draft Downtown Area Plan, which -- as of this writing -- has not been ad-

opted. After five years of extensive community process, a new 2010 Draft Downtown Area Plan has been developed and

placed on November’s ballot by City Council. This draft plan incorporates new approaches, goals, and solutions for contem-

porary challenges facing Downtown. Mixed-use, and transit-oriented development recommendations, an increased concern

with the pedestrian

environment and experience, and sustainability goals mark this new plan as an ambitious and holistic approach toward re-

storing the area’s image, vitality, and urban character.

SOSIP Arts Component

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The SOSIP will address the public space and cultural amenities goals for the area. The SOSIP recognizes that good public spaces are

vital to the creation of a strong downtown, and that the current conditions will require significant, thoughtful intervention. The SOSIP’s

recommendations include pedestrian improvements like safer street crossings, wider sidewalks, more vegetation, trees, and greenery,

and more accessible public performance and gathering spaces.

The inclusion of a comprehensive Public Art chapter into the Downtown SOSIP will support the plan’s Placemaking and Public Life

goalsto restore the area’s vitality, solidifying its place as the focal point and heart of Berkeley’s civic, cultural, and economic life, and pro-

vide an avenue for broad participation in the SOSIP process. Specific to public art, the SOSIP will included guidelines for promoting art,

making it more visible, garnering community support, and encouraging art that is sensitive to Downtown’s unique context.

Three categories of public art opportunities can help to meet these goals. Opportunities for major and permanent art installations

will be central to the Placemaking goals of the SOSIP, serving to establish and define an iconic identity for the Downtown Area. Op-

portunities for area-wide, or ubiquitous, art installations and applications can serve to weave together the many streets and sub-areas

of Downtown through a distributed program of cultural and arts enrichment. Opportunities for temporary art installations and events

can serve to strengthen continued community participation in the civic and cultural life of the area, in support of the SOSIP’s Public

Life goals.


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PROJECT SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY

Our Project Team’s overall goal was the development of a set of goals, guidelines and strategies to inform the Arts

Chapter of the Street & Open Space Improvement Plan for the Downtown Area. We worked with members of the Planning

Department, Civic Arts Commission, Public Art Committee and the Earth Island Institute and other stakeholders to explore,

review, and analyze precedent programs, current conditions and opportunities, and implementation strategies that could in-

form the drafting of an Arts Chapter. Our final assessment includes relevant policy recommendations, case study precedents,

implementation models, and spatial and urban design analyses, recommended goals and strategies, community and stakeholder

input,

Our methodology was organized among four major task areas: Preliminary Research in which we examined local

conditions, opportunities and constraints, a review of relevant Public Art and Planning literature, and examination of precedent

public art plans and programs; Mapping, in which we conducted spatial and urban design analyses of the project area; Stake-

holder outreach, in which we sought input from those currently working to develop public art in the city of Berkeley; and Final

Assessment and Recommendations in which we synthesize our research, spatial analyses and stakeholder input into a cohesive

set of recommendations.


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PUBLIC ART IN THE CITY OF BERKELEY | The Current Landscape

The City of Berkeley has an active Public Art Program, which works to commission and fund public art projects within the city.

Their mission is to enliven and beautify the City’s environment, and encourage and promote awareness of the City’s rich ethnic,

social, and cultural diversity, as expressed through the visual and design arts. The Visual Art Ordinance, passed in 1985, defines

the process for the commissioning and selection of public art. The Civic Arts Commission is the delegated oversight body, ad-

ministering the Public Arts Program in cooperation with the Civic Arts Coordinator and City staff. A four member Public Art

Committee is appointed by the commission, from its members, and alongside the Civic Arts Coordinator, City staff, and experi-

enced project consultants, appoints selection panels to review and consider individual, site-specific project proposals. The com-

mittee must also act In accordance with the State and the National Visual Rights Act of 1990, when dismantling art work as to

ensure protection of the artists rights.

Funding for the program is provided through the Public Art Resolution, passed in 1999, which requires all eligible capital projects

within the city to allocate1.5% of the project budget of public improvements to the Public Art Fund. While The Public Percent

for the Arts program is funded though city capital improvement projects, the adoption of a Private Percent for the Arts pro-

gram is being discussed as a way to generate additional funding for the arts through private development projectsIn addition to

this ongoing citywide public art funding mechanism, the Measure S Bond Fund, passed in 1996 to stimulate the revitalization of

Downtown Berkeley, provided specific funding for a series of Public Art projects in the Downtown Area.


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In addition, The Addison Street Arts district, formed through a collaborative partnership between arts and cultural orga-

nizations, private developers, and the City of Berkeley, has also made a significant contribution to the public art environ-

ment in the Downtown Area with the Addison Streetscape project, an extensive makeover of the pedestrian environment

from Shattuck to Milvia, which includes a series of pieces celebrating Berkeley’s poetry and crafts heritage. Building on our

strengths, the Addison Street Poetry Walk is highly regarded in the community and serves as a national public art poetry

destination. Famed participation by Robert Hass and The Addison Street Anthology serve as a forum for true public partici-

pation as passer-Byers often admire these poetry panels and take rubbings of their text.

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LITERATURE REVIEW Ronald Lee Fleming’s The Art of Placemaking

Our review of the relevant Public Art, Planning and Urban Design literature led us to two foundational sources that inform

our understanding of the urban design objectives of Public Art programs within an urban revitalization project, and the various

practical implementation strategies and design of public art programs in cities.

Ronald Lee Fleming’s, a leading scholar, urban designer and planner, in his book The Art of Placemaking has developed a set of

urban design objectives that should be considered in the planning and creation of public art pieces and programs. Fleming first

defines the act of “placemaking” as the building of “the capacity of the tangible physical environment to live on in the mind.”

He argues that this is can be accomplished through the use of public art placements that are strategically designed to build

“an armature of mental associations into a sustainable narrative that enriches sites and helps make them memorable.” Such a

public art strategy, Fleming maintains, enables a community’s urban-design priorities to vest in the built environment through

the creation of publicly accessible meanings.

In addition to identifying the theoretical basis and function of Public Art within the Urban Design and Planning contexts,

Fleming establishes four Urban Design Objectives that should be considered in the creation and design of individual pieces of

public art: Orientation – where layers of meaning are affirmed through interaction with community; Connection – the holistic

integration of meaning throughout site; Direction – visual clarity can link placemaking elements, make for easily navigable sites;

and Animation – where varied uses and activities build complexity and support vitality throughout the site.

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Public Financing

Funding plays an important role within the realm of public art. The funding options include: public/private partnerships,

percent and non percent for art programs; solicitation by developers; and alternative sources. From a non-development

perspective, public/private collaborations allow public art to be nurtured, making it an ongoing process. Typically cities or

businesses partner with artists in designing a wide array of pieces – ranging from designing green spaces to the installation

of exhibits in vacant stores, which thereby improves both the building and the neighborhood.

Percent-for-art programs entail passing a percentage – usually ranging from .5-2 of Capital Improvement Projects

per year to be commissioned for public art. Generally, these pieces are near buildings, or a soon to be constructed project.

With percent-for-art programs funding is guaranteed for projects, even if the city’s budget experiences changes. Addition-

ally, it guarantees that art projects will be funded each year, so long as the CIPs and construction continue. Percent-for-art

programs can be extremely beneficial. They would, for example, provide opportunities to work with city agencies on a

wide variety of projects.

A city can still have a public art program, even if there is not a percent-for-art ordinance currently in place. This is

made possible through private partnerships. In cities around the country, private institutions are commissioning works of

art and coming to realize that is has many benefits – one of which includes improving the bottom line. In addition to im-

proving the bottom line, the environments of employees improve; public art creates a unique look for the particular project.

In addition to the aforementioned sources of funding, alternate sources have come from such institutions as state

and city governments, art centers, museums, and utilities, to name a select few.

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CASE STUDIES IN PUBLIC ART PROGRAMS – THREE IMPLEMENTATION MODELS

SEATTLE | Percent for the Arts

Seattle was one of the first cities in the United States to adopt a percent-for-art ordinance in 1973. One percent of the

cost of each project is deposited into the Municipal Arts Fund. The funds are administered and allocated by the Office of

Arts and Cultural Affairs for Municipal Arts Plan projects. The city’s collection includes more than 350 permanently sited

and integrated works and 2,600 portable works. Public artwork appears in streets, parks, community centers, libraries, utility

facilities and municipal offices, and is exhibited primarily in public areas of municipal buildings. Using percent-for-art funds

from city construction budgets, the portable collection includes the work of emerging and established artists, with rotating

collections of more than 2,600 artworks in all media.

NEW YORK | Public-Private Partnerships

The work of private and non-profit art fund within New York City has greatly strengthened the presence

of public art within the city. New York has created partnerships with community groups and art funds that

are among the best established in the country. The Public Art Fund is New York’s leading presenter of artists’

projects, new commissions, and exhibitions in public spaces. Public Art Fund’s ongoing programs encompass

three categories: Major Initiatives with Established Artists, In the Public Realm (a program to realize projects

by emerging New York artists) and additional outreach efforts that include Public Art Fund Talks, and a publi-

cation series that includes the organization’s semi-annual magazine.

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LOS ANGELES | Flexible Funding

In December 2004 the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors adopted the County’s first formal Civic Art

Policy. Since then, one percent of design and construction costs of new County capital projects have been al-

located to a Civic Art Special Fund. The funds are flexible and structured to allow for integrated permanent

public art enhancements, temporary or portable visual art commissions, restoration of historic artworks, and

the creation of cultural spaces or programming.

In addition to adding permanent visual artworks, Los Angeles has also used funds for temporary works of art,

workshops, art events, conservation, and youth education in the arts. Los Angeles has also passed ordinances

that accept video and performance based art as public art. In other cities only visual art that is stand alone or

built into structures qualifies as public art. Incorporating performance based art allows for special contracts to

be made with artists that are legally clear and provide access to public art funds.

The Commission has helped to foster public, private and community partnerships with a diverse group part-

ners. One example of this is the Venice Art Walls, or “Venice Graffiti Walls” located in Venice beach. This proj-

ect, developed in partnership with the City of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Arts Commission, and ICU Art,

allows youth and emerging artists to express themselves in the public urban realm though permitted graffiti

artwork. The resulting public space maintains the iconic image of graffiti murals along the Venice Boardwalk,

reflecting the local culture, serves as major tourist attraction in the area, and provides a framework for contin-

ued youth engagement and community participation.

The Los Angeles Redevelopment Agency also worked to develop strong public-private partnership and their

Arts program was among the first in the county to require developers to incorporate art in their redevelop-

ment projects. In redeveloping Los Angeles, particularly its Downtown, CRA/LA has planted the seeds for a

program and funding mechanism that has over the past 35 years expanded to encompass all public and pri-

vate sector development in redevelopment areas9

TEMPORARY PUBLIC ART OPPORTUNITIES

Best Practices In Public Art

MAJOR PUBLIC ART OPPORTUNITIES

UBIQUITIOUS PUBLIC ART OPPORTUNITIES

New York City “ Art in the Park”

San Francisco “ Street smARTS”

San Francisco “ Kiosk Poster Series”

Vancover “ Art Under Foot Program”

Los Angeles “METRO Art Program”

San Francisco “ The work of Brian Goggin”

Liberty Village (Toronto) “BENCHmARK program”

Los Angeles “The Bike Stops Here”

Zurich “Garden City Project”

Table of Contents

“ Temporary public art installations are flexible and foster community partipication,

keeping the public realm dynamic.”

“ Major public art installations become landmarks, contributing to defining a

unique sense of place.”

“ Ubiquitious public art installations bring character to everyday objects, creating cohesion

within an urban network. “

Chicago “Cown on Parade”

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New York City “ Art in the Park”


Starting in 1967, the Parks and recreation department of New York City, in partnership

with the Cultural Affairs organization, have organized group outdoor sculptural exhibits

with the intent to use public space as an outdoor museum. Since the creation of the

program, the Parks and Recreation department has consistently fostered the creation

and installation of temporary public art pieces in parks throughout the five boroughs of

New York City. Through a collaborations with diverse groups of art organizations and

artists, the program has brought the public both experimental and traditional art in many

park locations-from city wide parks to neighborhood playgrounds- with Temporary

installations typically remaining for three to six months.

The program transforms previously untapped public spaces into “coveted outdoor

galleries” providing a stage for emerging artists to display their work and reach wider

audiences. Hundreds of artists have exhibited their works in New York City parks, and

the program hopes to continue this trend with a new streamlined process for submission

and implementation.

The permitting process is overseen by a division of the Parks and Recreation

Department, requiring artists to be responsible for the construction, instillation

maintenance and removal of the work they create.

Mia Westerlund Roosen, Baritone, French Kiss, and Juggler

Living Objects

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With the SOSIP program calling for increased green space, new

and existing parks, pocket-parks, and medians could be utilized

for temporary art instillations. The Frequent pedestrian traffic and

available space at such locations in Berkeley could house art as a

means of enhancing the pedestrian experience, creating a point

of visual interest and fostering greater human connection to the

space. New York Cities landmark program is one to look to for

inspiration, as these enhancements to public spaces in the city

have greatly enhanced and transformed the area.

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San Francisco “ Street smARTS Program”

The Street SmARTS Program was created through a partnership

between the San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) and the

Department of Public Works (DPW) to combat graffi tti while also

improving public art for the city. San Francisco currently spends well

over $20 million per year cleaning up graffi tti and with this amount

reduced, there would be more city funds to spend on other areas.

This pilot program, which launched in early 2010, aims to do just

this. After putting out a call for artists, the SFAC received applica-

tions from over 70 artists and narrowed them to 21 to include in

their pool of participants. Interested property owners can fi nd

information about the various artists’ biographies and porfolios on

the SFAC website and request for an original piece to be painted on

their property. The fi rst piece in this program was done by artists

Cameron Moberg with Aaron Vickery and Raymond Vivas (AKA, the

Rattlecan Blasters) on a roperty in SOMA. Pictured right, the mu-

ral features a vibrant underwater scene of a ship, octopus, etc. on a

bright blue background.

Rattlecan Blasters SOMA underwater scene mural. (SFAC, 2010)

Transformation of a wall on Market Street. (SFAC, 2010)

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We selected this program as a good example of a public art initiative because of its unique collaboration between property owners and local, relatively unknown artists in improving the overall aesthetic of the city.

The process itself requires a strong community involvement as both the artists and the property owners are working together to create something that fits into the community and will be ap-preciated as an improvement. Along with the enhancement of the public realm and the private building, the artist who otherwise may have struggled to find an outlet for their work now has an opportunity to display their art in a major place.

A program like this would work very well with the SOSIP goals in Berke-ley because in order for a place to thrive, community engagement and dedication will be necessary. With the upcoming changes to Downtown Berkeley, a similar program could also be implemented in the area to beautify the temporary walls that will be in place during construction and provide an opportunity for generating revenue through the auction of the pieces when the construction is complete.


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San Francisco “ Kiosk Poster Series”

The Art on Market Street - Kiosk Poster Series Program is a program

developed by the San Francisco Arts Commission, which has

commissioned three consecutive three-month poster exhibitions annually

since 1992.

Establish as a way to incorporate local designs on Kiosks around the city;

the poster program is a key element to the Art on Market Street

Program. The series consists of a set of six original and related designs that

are professionally reproduced and printed as four sets of posters.

Measuring 68 inches high by 47.5 inches wide, they are installed in 24 ki-

osks on Market Street between Van Ness and the Embarcadero.

The Program provides round-the-clock access to contemporary art for

thousands of pedestrians who constitute a broad cross-section of residents,

tourists, workers, commuters and shoppers, many of whom may not visit

traditional art venues.

The program also generates revenue that is then put back into the

program. Each poster is reproduced and sold for $50 upon request.

Golden City Comics, depicts a romantic comic book fantasy created by the artist team Briana Miller and Thien Pham. The artwork created was readable in two directions, so that pedestrians could experience a different version of the story depending on the direction they were walking on Market Street

“For over 17 years the Art on Market Street Program has made art a part of daily life for San Francisco residents, workers, shoppers and visitors by transforming Market Street into a destination for contem-porary art.” - Luis R. Cancel.

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In the downtown, transit stops and kiosks, which lack visual unity and are often plagued by vandalism, are numerous along heavily used transit corridors. These sites could provide an opportunity for a temporary poster style program similarly seen in San Francisco, with the Art on Market Street - Kiosk Poster Series Program. With the temporal dimension of the program, and existing infrastructure to support such artwork, a tremendous amount of enhancement could occur in the public realm with little capital up front of alterations to the existing environment.

The program could also act as an opportunity to highlight artists in the community and foster partnerships, while enriching the City of Berkeley’s cultural, social and environmental heritage. With multiple prints of each poster created, the revenue generated from the sales of each poster could ultimately heavily subsidize the program, and create an ongoing close loop approach.

Golden City Comics, Briana Miller and Thien Pham.

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Vancover “ Art Under Foot Program”


The “Art Under Foot” mosaic tile program was launched by the Downtown

Vancouver Business Improvement Association in 2005 to celebrate its 15th

anniversary. The lead artists for the project are Bruce Walther and Liz Calvin

who worked with local art students and artists from a program called CETA

(Creating Employment Through Art).

The project originally included 12 tiles, each one representing a different aspect

of Vancouver’s history, culture, people or architecture. Although the content

of each tile is different with titles such as “Art-i-tecture,” “The Swing of Things”

and “Our Land, Our Roots,” they are each contained by a uniform border of a

naturalistic, stylized design refl ecting Vancouver’s environment.

More recently four new tiles were added as a part of the Vancouver Cultural

Olympiad (2010) where the city of Vancouver proudly exhibited its art scene

during the hosting of the 2010 Olympics. The mosaic artists worked in an

open studio inviting visitors to come and see the process.

The original 12 tiles were fi nanced through individual sponsorship by local

businesses and organizations while the newest ones were sponsored by the

Cultural Olympiad whose major partner was Bell Industries.

“The Swing of Things” tile in Downtown Vancouver. (DVBIA, 2010)

Bruce Walther doing the fi nal installation of “Fireworks over English Bay.” (DVBIA, 2010).

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The “Art Under Foot” mosaic tile program is an excellent example of a major installation that brings an aesthetic element through decorating a major downtown area while also reminding passersby of the city’s rich history. The uniform borders throughout the pieces give a sense of continuity through down-town, yet each piece is unique and has its own point of interest. In this example, the process includes individual sponsorship of each piece which is a valuable tool for financing the project. This also provides an opportunity for local businesses to gain advertising by placing a plaque alongside the piece to acknowledge their support. This type of project could be adapted to encourage community participation and involvement, reflecting the placemaking goals for the new Downtown Berkeley. Perhaps the program could be overseen by professional artists with the content being created by a diverse group of residents. These resi-dents could be schoolgroups of young people, unknown artists or even a prominent local figure.

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Los Angeles “METRO Art Program”

“one of the most imaginative public art programs in the country” - Tim Wood, METRO Art

Los Angeles’ METRO Art Program commissions artists to incorporate art into

a wide array of transportation projects throughout the county. Established in

1989, Metro’s Art Department has commissioned over 300 artists, with One

half of one percent (0.5%) of rail construction costs are allocated to the cre-

ation of original art work.

Seeking qualified artists for three large-scale public art commissions at key

stations/transit centers along the new Metro lines and at existing stations for

beautification projects. Artists are selected through a peer review process with

community input, with all works created especially for their transit-related sites.

These site specific projects, create a sense of place and engages transit riders.

As Los Angeles metro systems expands, the METRO Arts program has

become an integral part in creating a pedestrian experience that enhances the

character of the built environment.

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As Berkeley’s transit system grows and develops, new opportunities

for incorporating public art in capital fund transit projects or improving

existing conditions. The BART drum is a major site of prominence in the

downtown, and this could be a key site for major installations as

redevelopment of the drum goes underway in the future.

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San Francisco “ The work of Brian Goggin”



Brian Goggin is an artist whose work focuses on site-specifi c pieces that in their individual locations often become landmarks and an integral part of its placemaking.Two of his notable pieces in San Francisco are The Language of the Birds and Defenestration. Defenestration is a sculptural mural, created in 1996, on the side of an abandoned building located at 6th and Howard Streets in San Francisco. This otherwise derelict building received new life when Goggin attached found furniture to the walls to appear as though they were being thrown out of windows and frozen in the air. Financing for this project was provided by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), a grant from the Andy Warhol Foundation as well as private donations. More recently in 2008, The Language of the Birds was installed in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco becoming an instant landmark in a historically and culturally signifi cant part of the city. For this project Goggin worked with artist Dorka Keehn to create an installation of fl ying books in a plaza on the NW corner of Colombus and Broadway. The books are open and their orientation mimics that of a fl ock of pigeons that has just taken off in fl ight; also each one has a light inside which glows at night and is powered by solar panels on a nearby building. Beneath the “fl ock” words are embedded into the plaza that have been taken from the writing of the infl uential authors who once lived in the neighborhood. This project was commissioned by the San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC).

Defenestration (1996) located at 6th and Howard Streets in San Francisco. (Photo from: Likecool.com, 2008).

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Goggin’s pieces serve as models in public art as placemaking. Both Defenestration

and The Language of the Birds thoughtfully reference the area that they are a part

of while also becoming a landmark on their own. With placemaking being a goal of

the SOSIP in creating a vibrant downtown district, the ideology and results associ-

ated with Goggin’s works are excellent models of successful, major public art

installations

The Language of the Birds (2008) located at Colombus and Broadway, San Francisco. (Photo from SF Arts Commission, 2009) SOSIP Arts Component

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“Cows on Parade” was the fi rst program of its kind in the United States and set a

precedent for many more cities nationwide to create similar programs. From June

15th – October 31st of 1999, Downtown Chicago was fi lled with 300 fi berglass

cows that had been decorated by local artists. The program was put on by the

Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and organized by the Chicago Public Art

Program in partnership with the Greater North Michigan Avenue Association and

the Chicago Offi ce of Tourism.

“Cows on Parade” was based on a much larger program that had taken place in Zu-

rich. After seeing its success, the City of Chicago placed a bid to do its own version

in the U.S. that would become the fi rst American program of its kind. The fi nished

cows were then placed all over the city, some in expected locations like sidewalks

or parks, and others in more surprising spots like on top of the local water tower or

hanging from the airport ceiling.

The City faced a challenge of start-up funding when they fi rst began but this was

fi xed by having local merchants and businesses individucally purchase fi berglass cows

to become that cow’s sponsor. Artists who were chosen from the many submissions

received would be assigned to a cow and given a $1,000 stipend for the cost of the

project. In the end, the program was extremely successful majorly increasing tourism

and bringing in more than $100 million in spending in the City that year.

Following the exhibition, J.P. Morgan sponsored a public auction to sell the

cows and the proceeds were donated to charities that had been selected by the

cow’s original owner.

Title: Out of Cowtowner. (Chicago Traveler, 1999).

Title: Open Mic Night. (Chicago Traveler, 1999).


Chicago “Cown on Parade”

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Clearly Chicago’s “Cows on Parade” event was wildly successful as

cities all around the country have created their own versions. A

program like this is exciting because it gives an opportunity for uniting

the city because so many people and organizations can get involved.

Like the tiling project (see Vancouver’s “Art Under Foot” program),

local businesses have an opportunity to be recognized as sponsors of

a portion of an exciting program. This program also invites public par-

ticipation through the variety of artists that participate in decorating a

sculpture. The temporary nature of the installations are also benefi cial

from a toursim aspect because they draw visitors in quickly who know

the pieces will not be around for long. Finally, they are a valuable

revenue-generating opportunity through auction at the close of the

event. In the Chicago example the revenue was donated to a variety

of charities, however an alternative would be to invest the money into

a local public art program to ensure that more programs would be

able to take place in the future.

Title: Mooonwalk. (Chicago Traveler, 1999).SOSIP Arts Component

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Los Angeles “The Bike Stops Here”

“The Bike Stops Here” was a public art project in Los Angeles (1995-1996) cre-

ated through a partnership between the Community Redevelopment Agency

(CRA), the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) and the South-

ern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc). The project produced 10 origi-

nal sculptures that were installed around downtown Los Angeles and functioned

not only as public art but also as bicycle racks. All of the racks were designed at

built at SCI-Arc by students who had surveyed the downtown area on bicycles to

determine the best locations for the installations. Financing was provided through

an $18,000 CRA Cultural Trust grant.

Mickey Gustin, director of the public art program for the Community

Redevelopment Agency explains, “We want to engage creative individuals in one

way or another to help in the total transformation of a place. We are heavily into

place-making” (Koenenn, 2005). Also, in a car-dominant city these racks serve to

bring bicycling more to the forefront by being placed in prominent, important

locations.

Mini High-Wheeler Bikes located in front of the L.A. Times Building. (LADOT, 2010).

Inverted Heart Bike Racks, located at the L.A. Mall. (LADOT, 2010)

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“The Bike Stops Here” is an excellent example of the marriage of form and function in enhancing the public realm. These sculptures highlight the talent of the students in a local university while also showing how welcome bicycles are as a part of the city transportation system. The unique nature of each piece invites passersby to stop and analyze to discover its true function. Berkeley would be an ideal location for a similar project as it is home to a world class university providing opportunities for students to partner with city agencies to create a similar project. Also, the SOSIP includes an emphasis on a bicycle-friendly downtown and for the public art to reflect this commitment would be appropriate.

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Zurich “gARTen City Project”


Zurich’s “gARTen City” project, established though a partnership between the Zürich tourism board and the city association have called for famous artists to design artwork on more than 300 huge planter pots throughout streets and public squares in the city. Measuring 1.5meters high, painted by artists and pro-fessionally planted, the new campaign aligns with the people of Zürich’s environmentalism. Starting in May of 2009 numerous planters began to emerge along the cityscape of Zürich, Setting out to uniting design, botany, and the urban environment. Well established artists, as well as up-and-coming designers were brought in, particularly the high school graduates those from school for art and media design to create the planters around the city.

Made of fiberglass and reinforced polyester, artists were commissioned by local shops , companies, and private individuals to design the planter objects in their own manner. Over 30 different plants are showcased, with an information board posted on every planter telling the name of the sponsor, artist and title.

In partnership with the Botanical Garden of University of Zurich every plant is accompanied with a story of the plant species as well as the name of the plant in German and in Latin.

“ I am convinced that the summer campaign of the City Vereinigung Zurich will contribute to sensitizing people on the importance of public greenery, and reinforcing Zurich’s image as an attractive city close to nature. “ - Ruth Genner, City Councilor

Plumento Pferde Rahel Arnold Josef Renner Maidenhair Tree City Vereinigung Zürich

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Street furniture such as planters are abundant in the downtown, and create little separation between the sidewalk and the street furniture. These planters could provide an opportunity for ubiquitous art, and can speak to the areas history and culture.

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Liberty Village (Toronto) “Benchmart Program”

In 2005, the liberty Village business Improvement area, working in partnership with the City of Toronto established a site-specifi c public art program which sought to transform old public benches into artwork. Since the programs creation over 14 neglected benches in liberty village’s business district have been transformed by artists and local businesses. These signature and innovative benches are also creative spaces that take into account the immediate surrounding area and intended use of the public space in which the bench will be placed. Enhancing one of Canada’s most dynamic communities as well as refl ecting the historical strengths and contemporary forms of the area.

The program invites professional artists living in the Toronto area to submit proposals for artwork, attracting supporting sponsors from various city agencies and businesses across Canada, fostering public-private partnerships. A traditional call of artists is proposed, where establish and emerging artists are given a level platform for participation. All artists are required to meet certain criteria outlined in the initial selection process including all design, fabrication, delivery and logistical involved with installing the artwork. There is also a great deal of emphasis put on the durability of the piece. This emphasis on durability is expressed in the initial design and fi nishing stages in order to mitigate the need to periodic maintenance.

After the selection process is complete, benches taken apart by a public authority, where the wooden slats are then given to selected artists. A variety of media and forms are encouraged as well as designs that incorporate extensions beyond the bench surfaces themselves.


liberty Village, Benchmark Program. photo by Jill Smith, Ryan Christensen

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While the program in Liberty Village prohibits designs that include advertising, soliciting, or other promotional, and commercially driven imagery, incorporating these revenue-generating images in a creative and artistic fashion could provide an opportunity to bridge financial gaps with in a public arts program in other cities. Often overlooked yet an integral part of the pedestrian experience, street furniture such as benches could easily be improved through economical artistic enhancements, like the program seen in Liberty Village.


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Stakeholder Information:

Matt Taecker: Principal Planner for the City of Berkeley; overseeing the development of SOSIP for Downtown Berkeley

Mary Ann Merker: Mary Ann Merker is currently the Civic Arts Coordinator for the City of Berkeley, California. Ms. Merker holds a Master of Fine Art in Painting and Printmaking, a BFA in fine arts in Painting and a graduate certificate in Arts Devel-opment/Fundraising. She was hired to research and initiate the Public Art Program for the city of Berkeley and to expand the Civic Arts Program. She was a founding member of the Northern California Public Art Network that now has over 38 city members and meets regularly to discuss policy and issues in public art. She was the Chair of an accredited graduate program in art, a California Arts Council Artist in Residence and a county wide nonprofit arts administrator. Ms. Merker also maintains her own studio and is a practicing artist.

Kim Anno: Ms. Anno is a Berkeley Arts Commissioner, appointed by Kriss Worthington. She is also Professor and Chair of Painting at the California College of the Arts, San Francisco. Her extensive work in painting, bookmaking, collaboration and teaching has earned her international recognition.

David Snippen: Civic Arts Commissioner, City of Berkeley.

Ariana Katovich: Earth Island Institute, artist, advocate of public art

Dave Blake: Civic Arts Commissioner, City of Berkeley.

Stephanie Johnson: Ms. Johnson is an appointed Civic Arts Commissioner for the City of Berkeley with a focus on youth out-reach, and neighborhood development as well as being a member of the Public Art Committee and the Education Commit-tee. Additionally, Ms. Johnson is the Chair and one of the founding faculty members for The Visual and Public Art program at California State University, Monterey Bay. Her education includes degrees from Emerson College (B.F.A. Theater), Boston, Mass., San Francisco State University (M.A. Interdisciplinary Studies) and The University of California at Berkeley M.F.A. Art). She is currently a candidate for a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Social Justice from The Union Institute and University, Cincinnati, Ohio. In her own work, Ms. Johnson uses her installations and mixed media sculptures as a way to preserve and honor the history of Africans. She uses large-scale slide projections in settings such as railroad stations, churches, cemeteries and galleries.

City of Berkeley (2003) The Berkeley General Plan. Retrieved fromhttp://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/WorkArea/linkit.aspx?LinkIdentifier=id&ItemID=492City of Berkeley Planning and Development Department. (1990) The Downtown Plan. Retrieved from http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/WorkArea/linkit.aspx?LinkIdentifier=id&ItemID=19038City of Berkeley Public Art Program (2004) Public Art for the City of Berkeley: A guide to the Public Art Process, The Civic Arts Commission, The Percent for Art Program, guidelines for Public Art. Retrieved from http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/uploadedFiles/City of Berkeley Planning and Development Department. (2010) Streets and Open Space Improvement Plan (SOSIP). Retrieved from https://www.cityofberkeley.info/ContentDisplay.aspx?id=47724City of Berkeley Planning and Development Department. (2010) New 2010 Downtown Area Plan with Staff Report and General Plan Amendments (Draft). Retrieved from http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/uploadedFiles/Planning_and_Development/Level_3_-_Commissions/Commission_for_Planning/PC2010-04-14_Item9_Complete.pdfChicago Traveler. (1999). Chicago Cows on Parade Exhibit. Retrieved from http://www.chicagotraveler.com/cows_on_parade.htm.DVBIA (Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association). (2010). Mosaic Art Tile Project part of 2010 Cultural Olympiad. Retrieved from http://www.downtownvancouver.net/catalog/main.php?cat_id=38.Fleming, Ronald L. (2007) The Art of Placemaking: Interpreting Community through Public Art and Urban Design. New York: MerrellFleming, Ronald L., & von Tschamer, Renata (1987) Placemakers: Creating Public Art That Tells You Where You Are. Boston: Harcourt Brace JovanovichGoggin, B. (n.d.). Metaphorm. Retrieved from http://www.metaphorm.org/index.shtml.Goldstein, Barbara (Editor) (2005) Public Art By the Book. Seattle: University of Washington PressJohnson, K. (1999, Aug 9). Chicago milks exhibit for the humor. USA Today. Retrieved from http://www.chicagotraveler.com/cows_usa_today.htm.Koenenn, C. (1995, Dec 5). Art That Lets Them Stop Spinning Their Wheels. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from http://articles.latimes.com/1995-12-05/news/ls-10649_1_bike-rack.LADOT (Los Angeles Department of Transportation). (n.d.). Artist Designed Bicycle Parking Racks. Retrieved from http://www.bicyclela.org/Parking.htm#Artist.Los Angeles Metro Public Art program (2009) retrieved from http://www.metro.net/about/art/Liberty City Arts (2009). Benchmark Public Art Program. Retrieved from http://www.lvbia.com/welcome/photo_gallery.aspLikecool.com (2008). Defenestration in San Francisco. Retrieved from http://www.likecool.com/Defenestration_in_San_Francisco--Building--Home.html.Lipske, Mike (1985) Places As Art. New York: Publishing Center for Cultural ResourcesNew York City Department of Parks and Recreation (2009). New York City Art in the Park Program. Retrieved from http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_things_to_do/attractions/public_art/pa_temporary_public_art_program.htmlNew York City Department of Parks and Recreation (2009). New York City Art in the Park Program. photo from Mia Westerlund Roosen, Baritone, French Kiss, and JugglerNew York City Department of Parks and Recreation (2009). New York City Art in the Park Program. photo from Living Objects

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

City_Manager/Level_3_-_Civic_Arts/Public%20Art%20Process%20Guide.pdfSFAC (San Francisco Arts Commission). (2009, July). The Language of the Birds Recognized as One of America’s Best Public Artworks. San Francisco Arts Commission Newsletter. Retrieved from http://www.sfartscommission.org/newsletter/09july.html.SFAC (San Francisco Arts Commission). (2010). Community Arts and Education Program – About StreetSmARTS. Retrieved from http://www.sfartscommission.org/CAE/category/street-smarts-arts-education/about-streetsmarts/.SFAC (San Francisco Arts Commission). (2010). Art on Market Street Public Art Program. Retrieved from http://www.sfartscommission.org/pubartcollection/pubart-press-releas-es/2009/09/25/art-on-market-street-catalogue-celebrates-2008-poster-series/SFAC (San Francisco Arts Commission). (2010). San Francisco Art on Market Street poster Porgram. Retrieved from http://www.sfartscommission.org/pubartcollection/calls-for-art-ists/2010/05/10/call-for-artists-20102011-art-on-market-street-kiosk-poster-series/SFAC (San Francisco Arts Commission). (2010). San Francisco Art on Market Street poster Porgram. Golden City Comics,Vancouver Organizing Committee for the Olympic Winter Games. (2010). About Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad. Retrieved from http://www.vancouver2010.com/more-2010-information/cultural-festivals-and-events/about-cultural-olympiad/.City of Zurich. (2010). Zurich public Art Program. Retrieved from http://www.gartencity.ch/E/Press/Press_service.php

Documents

Public Art in the Public Realm: An Analysis · Their mission is to enliven and beautify the City’s environment, and encourage and promote awareness of the City’s rich ethnic,