Donations of Art

Donations to the City's TPA Program are an important part of the collection. Proposed donations or loans of Public Art shall undergo a review process to ensure that acceptance of such donations or loans takes place in a fair and uniform manner and supports the mission and goals of the TPA Program. Donations should be reviewed as carefully as works that are purchased or commissioned. Funds for maintenance and conservation of the Public Art collection are limited, as are the number of sites on municipal property that are suitable for donations or other future Public Art projects. Therefore a careful review process must evaluate proposed donations of Public Art according to the purposes, goals and selection criteria that guide the program as a whole.

A Task Force shall be appointed to review and accept all donations or loans of Public Art to be placed on City property. In part a sub-committee of the Public Art Committee, the Task Force shall consist of 3 members of the Public Art Committee, individuals from the related or impacted department and the Art Programs Manager.  

Procedures: For each proposed donation of Public Art, a written proposal or letter of intent must be submitted to the Art Programs Manager. The proposal must include specifications of the proposed gift, including artist, title, dimensions, materials, date, proposed location, value, digital image of artwork, maintenance requirements and the approval of the department responsible for the site. The Art Programs Manager will refer the proposal to the Task Force for review.

Task Force Review: The Task Force will review and move to accept or reject the proposed donation. In cases where a donor has specified a site for the proposed artwork, the artwork must have the endorsement and approval for installation from the city department that oversees the site. Works of art accepted on the basis of maquettes or drawings will be subject to a review process, including inspection by a structural engineer during fabrication and installation. Specific plans for site design, installation and maintenance will be submitted for all necessary approvals. Costs for engineering and approvals shall be borne by the artwork donor. The artwork may not deviate from the proposal approved by the Task Force unless the Task Force approves such change in writing.

Criteria for Acceptance of Gifts: The review process will ensure that:

• Donations and gifts maintain high artistic standards for artworks in the City's Public Art collection;
• Artworks support TPA's commitment to creating a diverse collection of artworks. The work of artists who are already well represented in the program will not be considered as readily.
• Liability associated with the artwork, including susceptibility to damage and vandalism, potential danger to the public, and special insurance requirements have been considered.
• Costs of installation and maintenance and repair over the expected life of the artwork are dedicated.
• Artists will provide updated contact information in case of conservation or restoration needs.
• The site available is appropriate to the artwork's content, scale, and material. Factors to be considered in selecting on an appropriate site include, relationship to architectural and natural features, visibility and public access, traffic patterns, future development plans for area (if known), and public use patterns of the site.
• The city has the flexibility to move or deaccess the artwork, if necessary, in the future.

Memorial Gifts: Memorial gifts will also be judged on the following criteria to determine appropriateness:

• Representation of broad community values.
• If a person or event is being memorialized, they/it must be deemed significant enough to merit such honor.
• The location under consideration is on appropriate setting for the memorial: in general, there should be some specific geographic justification for the memorial being located in a given site. The donor must contact and work with the appropriate municipal Department in charge of the site.

Accession, Removal, Relocation or Deaccession of an Artwork: The donor shall complete and submit the Public Art gift form. Works may be relocated or removed if a gift becomes a hazard or liability, or if the approved terms of acceptance are not fulfilled, The Public Art Committee shall deaccession and dispose of works of art in its collection in accordance with its policies as described herein.

Associated Costs: The donor must underwrite the costs of fabrication and installation. If necessary to the project, the donor will also be responsible for engineering specifications, design and cost of pedestal, identification plaque, special lighting, structural support meeting all building codes and landscaping of site. The donor shall contribute 5% of the total commission cost to be put into a special maintenance fund to support maintenance of the Public Art collection. If the gift is on existing work of art, 5% of the appraisal value plus installation costs shall be put into this fund.