Public Art Commission
Secretary: Susan Glasser
900 E. Broad St., Room 511
Richmond, VA 23219
Hours: Monday-Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m
Public Art Commission
COVID-19 UPDATE - Please Read
The Land Use Administration in Rooms 510/511 is not open to walk-in visits at this time but staff is available to meet, following social distancing protocols. To schedule an appointment, email susan.glasser@rva.gov or by telephone at 804-646-7319.
Please refer to the City’s legislative calendar for information on Public Art Commission meetings: https://richmondva.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx.
In 1991, the Planning Commission, on the recommendation of City Council, appointed a Public Art Commission (PAC) to administer a Public Art Program. In January of 1997, City Council passed an ordinance formalizing the Percent-for-Art Process and mandating its funding through the Capital Improvement budget.
NEW CALLS-FOR-ARTISTS
Southside Community Center Stormwater Garden Art Project
Richmond Public Art Commission, Virginia
Introduction
Richmond’s Public Art Commission is seeking a permanent public art installation at the Southside Community Center currently undergoing significant expansion. The new facility, located at 6255 Old Warwick Road North, Chesterfield, VA, will provide interactive, lively spaces for community wellness and recreation activities. The grounds surrounding the Community Center include multiple sports fields, a skate park, playground, community garden, and other community spaces. The grounds also include one bioretention area and two stormwater detention areas that provide an excellent opportunity for an artist or design team to create a unique installation that actively celebrates responsible stormwater practices. Three to five artists/teams will receive an honorarium of $2,000 each to submit a formal proposal for the project.
RFQ Deadline: December 19, 2022
Honorarium for Draft Proposal: $2,000
Commission Budget: $200,000 (inclusive of all artist’s fees, materials, insurance, fabrication,
installation, travel and all other project-related expenses)
Click HERE to learn more about this RFQ.
The Public Art Commission regularly receives announcements of upcoming RFQs for art projects around the country. We have begun posting these to our Facebook page on a regular basis so check back often: https://www.facebook.com/publicartrva
If you would like to get notices from the PAC about Richmond’s own RFQs, please contact the PAC Secretary to have your name added to our growing mailing list: susan.glasser@rva.gov.
The meeting schedule for the Public Art Commission is the fourth Thursday of the month at 4:30 p.m. for the regular meeting in the 5th Floor Conference room at City Hall unless otherwise noted. For further assistance please contact Land Use Administration, at 804-646-7319 or via email.
Public Art Commission Meeting Agendas are available on the Legistar Calendar: https://richmondva.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx
The PAC consists of eleven members, appointed by the Planning Commission, with staggered three year terms with the opportunity for reappointment for one additional term, making a total possible term of service of six years.
The representatives from the Urban Design Committee and the Planning Commission shall serve terms on the PAC that are coincident with their appointments to those bodies. The Director of Planning and Development Review shall hold a permanent seat on the Commission as liaison to the staff.
Additionally, the Commission is comprised of representatives from the fields of visual arts, visual arts education, and architecture, along with two citizen representatives.
The current members are:
| Members | Affiliation |
|---|---|
| Ms. Ashley Kistler, Chair | Citizen |
| Ms. Ana Edwards, Vice-Chair | Arts Education |
| Mr. Kevin Vonck | Director, Department of Planning and Development Review |
| Ms. Andrea Almond | Visual Arts |
| Mr. Vik Murthy | Planning Commission |
| Mr. Charles Piper | Culture Works and Architect |
| Ms. Maggie Small | Visual Arts |
| Mr. Justin Doyle | Urban Design Committee Representative |
| Mr. Gary Flowers | Citizen |
| Mr. Matthew Spahr | Visual Arts |
For more information about the members or their terms, contact the Public Art Coordinator.
Commissioner vacancies are posted on this page as they become available. If you are interested in applying to serve on the Public Art Commission, please submit the application form to: PDRLanduseadmin@richmondgov.com. Thank you for your interest in serving as a Public Art Commissioner. Call 804-646-7319 with questions.
What is a Public Art Master Plan?
The Public Art Master Plan is a ten-year plan that will provide a clear vision for the future of public art in Richmond. The plan will include goals for Richmond's public art, define priorities and artistic approaches for the program, identify strategic partnerships and possible sources of alternative funding, and provide direction for ongoing program development and management. The plan will also address opportunities for ongoing public engagement, support increased opportunities for public art, and celebrate art as an essential element for a thriving community.
Why does the City need a Public Art Master Plan?
The Public Art Master plan will guide the city’s and community’s future investment into public art. The plan will update all policies to reflect current standards and create a platform for community engagement, artistic excellence and comprehensive integration of public art into city processes. The City of Richmond owns 44 artworks values at $1.46 million that need to be inventoried, assessed, and maintained on a regular basis. The master plan and available funding enable Richmond to increase the size, quality and scope of its public art collection and gain national recognition in the arts scene.
The Percent-for-Art program ensures that the highest quality art will have a place in public spaces throughout the city. The program encourages the participation of the surrounding communities in various stages of the artworks' development.
Based on national public art models in 27 states and nearly 200 municipalities, Richmond's Public Art Program follows well-established guidelines adapted to our particular needs.
A 1% allocation for art is earmarked from the City's Capital Budget of appropriate new or renovation construction projects having budgets over $250,000. Appropriate projects are ones that provide public services and accessibility, such as firehouses, police precincts, courthouses and detention centers, hospitals, clinics, passenger terminals, parks, and recreation centers.
Once funding has been established, a Site Selection Team is convened, consisting of a representative of the staff of the facility being built or expanded, members of the community, the architect, a City official from the sponsoring agency, and two to three members of the Public Art Commission, one of whom is an artist.
Through an open call-to-artists, applications are reviewed for artistic quality and appropriateness of their ideas or concepts to the specific project. The site requirements and the nature of the community are seriously considered when the selection team makes its recommendations to the Public Art Commission for consideration of the selected artwork.