Olympia, WA Public Art

Type: Municipal Code
Status: Last updated in 2008 via ordinance
Source File: Click here
Text:
02.100.130 - Public Art--Purpose
The City accepts a responsibility for expanding experience with visual art. Such art has enabled people in all societies to understand more clearly their communities and individual lives. Artists capable of creating art for public places must be encouraged and Olympia's standing as a regional leader in public art enhanced. A policy is therefore established to direct the inclusion of works of art in public works of the City.
02.100.140 - Public Art--Duties of Commission
To carry out its responsibilities hereunder, the Commission shall:
A. Prepare and recommend to the City Council for approval a plan and guidelines to carry out the City's art program, which shall include, but not be limited to, a method or methods for the selection of artists or works of art and for placement of works of art that are attached or detached within or about any municipal construction project or other municipally owned, leased or rented property.
B. Recommend purchase of works of art or commission the design, execution and/or placement of works of art. The arts program staff shall advise the department responsible for a particular construction project of the arts commission's recommendation regarding the design, execution and/or placement of a work of art in connection with such construction project.
C. Review all proposed gifts of works of art to the City, proposed gifts of funds for the acquisition of works of art if restricted or dedicated in any way, and proposed gifts of sites for works of art to ensure that such gifts are consistent with the goals of the Commission and the City.
D. Promulgate rules and regulations consistent with Sections 02.100.130 through 02.100.170 to facilitate the implementation of its responsibilities hereunder.
02.100.150 - Public Art--Allocation of Municipal Funds
The ordinance codified in Sections 02.100.130 through 02.100.170 provides allocations of certain municipal funds for the purpose of selecting, acquisitioning and installing art works in public places and further provides that moneys collected be held in a "municipal arts fund" to be expended for projects as prescribed in the "municipal arts plan" to be developed by the arts commission. All works of art purchased and commissioned under the municipal arts plan shall become a part of the City art collection developed, administered and operated by the City arts program.
02.100.160 - Public Art--Definitions
A. "Commission" means the Olympia Arts Commission.
B. "Conservation" means those activities required to conserve, repair, or preserve the integrity of the art work and setting within which the art work is located.
C. "Construction project" means any capital project paid for wholly or in part by the City to construct or remodel any building, structure, park, street, sidewalk, or parking facility, or any portion thereof, within the limits of the City.
D. "Municipal arts plan" means a plan outlining the City expenditures of designated funds for public art projects for a one-year period.
E. "Routine maintenance" means:
:1. Those activities associated with keeping an art work and its setting clean and well ordered as specified by the artist at the time of completion of the art work; and
:2. The removal of graffiti if it can be accomplished employing effective, pre-approved methods.
02.100.170 - Public Art--Funds for Works of Art
Moneys for the municipal art fund shall be secured through the following methods:
A. An annual amount equaling one dollar per capita shall be appropriated from the City's general fund for works of art; and
B. All requests for appropriations from the Capital Improvement Project (CIP) budget for construction projects visible and usable by the public, and exceeding five hundred thousand dollars shall include an amount equal to one percent of the estimated construction cost of such project for works of art.
C. The arts program manager, in consultation with city management and department directors, may suggest to the City Council other appropriate funds on a project basis. 
02.100.180 - Public Art--Municipal Arts Fund
There is established in the City treasury a special fund designated "municipal arts fund" into which shall be deposited funds appropriated as contemplated by Section 2.100.170, together with gifts or bequests to the City for public art and other funds as the City Council shall appropriate for works of art, and from which expenditures may be made for specific works of art or for works of art in accordance with the plan specified in Section 02.100.140. Separate accounts shall be established within the municipal arts fund to segregate receipts by source or, when so directed by the City Council, for specific works of art. A percentage of the municipal art fund will be appropriated for administrative costs associated with the project. Arts program staff salaries will not be funded from the municipal art fund. Donations received for public art projects and purposes shall be administered pursuant to applicable policies adopted by the arts commission and Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department.
The interest accruing in the municipal arts fund shall be segregated as an art conservation reserve. Moneys held in the art conservation reserve may be expended for staff time, professional services, supplies, and operating costs associated with the conservation, repair, restoration, or maintenance of works of public art as prescribed in an annual maintenance plan to be developed by the arts commission. In the event that excess funds are accumulated in the art conservation reserve, a percentage of reserve funds may be expended for special maintenance projects as recommended by the arts commission and as approved by the City Council.
02.100.190 - Administrative Guidelines--Public Art, Art Programs and Services
The City Manager or designee is hereby authorized to promulgate administrative guidelines to carry out the provisions of Sections 02.100.130 through 02.100.240. Any major changes to said guidelines shall be submitted to the council for review. 
02.100.200 - Public Art--Maintenance and Conservation of Public Art
Routine maintenance of works of public art shall be performed by the Park Services Division of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services consistent with the artist's specifications. Minor routine costs shall be borne by that division's budget. When routine maintenance costs exceed the resources of the Park Services Division, the Commission, in consultation with the arts program staff, may recommend the expenditure of art conservation reserve funds to support the cost of supplies and labor to perform routine maintenance.
Conservation, repair, and restoration of works of public art, once determined to be required by arts program staff and the arts commission, shall be performed by the artist or other contractor and the costs shall be fully born by the arts conservation reserve.
02.100.210 - Donations for Community Art Programs and Services; City Manager Authorized to Accept
The City Manager is hereby authorized to accept on behalf of the City of Olympia donations for community art programs and services and to carry out any conditions of the donation, so long as such conditions are within the authority of the City to meet. The City Manager will, for each donation, communicate an appropriate acknowledgment of acceptance on behalf of the City of Olympia and express appreciation therefor.
Prior to making his/her determination whether to accept a donation or whether any condition thereof is within the authority of the City, the City Manager shall receive and review the recommendation of the commission and the director of the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department.
02.100.220 - Donations for Community Art Programs and Services; Application of Ordinance
Sections 02.100.210, 02.100.230, 02.100.240 of this ordinance shall govern the receipt, holding and allocation of funds donated to the City only for the purpose of supporting community art programs and services.
02.100.230 - Donations for Community Art Programs and Services; Community Arts Account Established
There is hereby established in the City treasury a special revolving account designated the "Community Arts Account" within the Special Accounts Control Fund. Donated funds received for community art programs and services pursuant to Sections 02.100.210, 02.100.230, and 02.100.240 shall be deposited into the "Community Arts Account" established herein. Funds held within the Community Arts Account shall be expended upon appropriation for arts programs and services set forth in the plan for such programs and services approved by the City Council on the recommendation of the commission pursuant to Section 2.100.110 of the Olympia Municipal Code as herein amended.
02.100.240 - Appropriation of Donations for Art Programs and Services
Any donation given and received without conditions may be appropriated, pursuant to the plan referenced in Section 2.100.230 above, for the enhancement or expansion of existing city art programs and services, or for the development of new art programs or services. If an approved donation is conditional, it shall be deposited in the Community Arts Account and may be used only for purposes set forth in the condition. In either event, a proper credit shall be given to the fund source, such as "this program sponsored by the City of Olympia Arts Commission with support provided by the Community Arts Account." Enhanced or expanded art programs and services funded from the Community Arts Account will continue only if funds for those particular programs and services are appropriated out of future funds available within the Community Arts Account.
Category:City Governments
Category:Code
Category:Culture
Category:Olympia
Category:Washington