Article Contributed on: 11/6/2009 1:16:23 PM
Public art takes private funding
Fund-raising for art in public places the norm
It may be called public art, but much of the funding for outdoor sculptures in city parks and at community centers often comes from the private sector.
The Mayor's Public Art Initiative in Wheat Ridge recently put out a call for donations to help pay for a 17-foot sculpture that will be placed in a future park at 38th Avenue and Kipling Street.
In Lakewood, as part of the Arts Along Alameda program, concrete was being poured last week in the roundabout at Alameda Avenue and Allison Parkway in preparation for four 14-foot kinetic sculptures to be installed during the week of Nov. 16.
George Valuck, executive director of Lakewood's Alameda Gateway Community Association said the budget for art acquisition by the AGCA and the Business Improvement District is about $40,000 for 2009 and will be the same in 2010.
"That gives us two pieces. We are using them as landmarks for coming into the city center. They will be identifiers," said Valuck.
Wheat Ridge Mayor Jerry Di Tullio said, "We still need to raise about $30,000, (for the park sculpture) but I have been talking to some local businesses that may be interested in funding the amount. They are looking at their budgets. There is a good possibility we will have the full $30,000 by the end of next year."
The selection process for public art is similar in both cities. Committees and cultural commissions are made up of citizens, officials, art enthusiasts and landscape designers.
Diane Robb, wife of Wheat Ridge sculptor Kevin Robb, whose art was selected, said the pair delivered a presentation to the city's cultural commission this spring. From there it went to a special committee.
"It's a beast fraught with complexities and opportunities. You will never please everybody," said Diane.
Joyce Manwaring, Director of Wheat Ridge Parks and Recreation, said, "It's been documented that there are a lot of advantages to public art. It can be a source of pride and enjoyment and heighten awareness and an appreciation of art."
Michelle Nierling oversees the Heritage, Culture and the Arts department in Lakewood. She said most of the public art pieces (there are 37) in the city have been funded privately, or through grants and donations. Many pieces are on loan from the artists.
"It's a great way for cities to expose citizens to art and it's a great opportunity for an artist," Nierling said.
Mayor DiTullio said the city has engaged the Wheat Ridge Foundation in the effort to raise funds for Robb's sculpture.
"The nonprofit will hold the donations, similar to the process of funding the synthetic turf fields at Wheat Ridge High School. Contributions to the foundation are tax-deductible." Said DiTullio.
Donations to the Wheat Ridge Mayor's Art Initiative are payable to the Wheat Ridge Foundation, Attn: Mayor's Office Public Art Campaign, 7500 W. 29th Ave., Wheat Ridge, 80033. To learn more about the initiative, visit www.ci.wheatridge.co.us.
For more information about the Alameda Gateway Community Association, visit www.alamedagateway.com. To learn more about Lakewood's Heritage culture and the arts, visit www.lakewood.org.