Public Art to Undergo Review by Experts

Over three decades, Laguna Beach embellished its reputation as an arts colony by commissioning more than 90 public art works, some installed on city property and others on private property. Responsibility for identifying candidates for public art commissions has rested with the Arts Commission, political appointees whose members also include representatives of the performing arts and seldom those with wide-ranging visual arts training.

Now, for the first time, the Arts Commission is seeking more professional expertise from artists, architects, designers, curators, art historians and members of visual arts organizations as part of a public art review panel, the city manager’s report announced last week.

Establishing a panel was one of the recommendations made by the Cultural Arts Planning Group, a San Diego-based arts consultation firm that conducted a wide-ranging cultural arts survey last year. “Adopt the best practices of using peer review panels for artist selection for public art projects.., ” the consultants advised.

The town’s public art remains a source of continuing debate among artists and the general public. Laguna Beach’s Art in Public Places was established by ordinance in 1986 and over 31 years has yielded a public art collection of nearly 90 permanent works. The ordinance requires the installation of site-specific works of art when new buildings of more than $225,000 are developed or a payment to the city’s Art-in-Lieu fund.

Arts Commissioners and local artists say they support the new approach.

“In an effort to respond to comments from community members, follow trends in national city arts organizations and to recognize the value of engaging in a broader range of conversation related to how art is approved for installation in our community, the Arts Commission is very excited to include a public art review panel to the art approval process for Laguna Beach,” wrote commissioner Adam Schwerner via e-mail.

Marlo Bartels, whose boldly colored ceramic works grace numerous locations in Laguna Beach and elsewhere in Orange County, endorses the new plan. The commission’s previous method required semi-finalists present models of their proposals, a costly and time-consuming undertaking, Bartels said. “And then not getting the commission is devastating,” he said.

Jorg Dubin, creator of “Semper Memento,” the Heisler Park memorial to the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, also welcomes the addition of an expert advisory panel into the artist selection process. “Selecting public art sites, funds and qualifying artists should be in the hands of art professionals who can see the entire process through from inception to finish,” he said.

Even as the city is currently seeking to add an artistic flourish to the Mountain Road beach access with yet another bench, Dubin suggested the city’s public art initiatives should take a more global view by stockpiling funds for major works. The recommendations from the cultural arts survey echo his opinion.

Dubin said he applied for the bench commission as well as a place in the expert panel pool.

Marsh Scott, known for “Canyon Colors,” an elongated sculpture spilling along Broadway Street, applauds the inclusion of qualified reviewers. “The Arts Commission represents the whole spectrum of arts and may not always have the expertise to make decisions regarding scale of a project, materials, matters of maintenance and the contextual place of a piece in the city’s entire public art collection,” she said.

She would like to see more community input and extended dialogues between artists and those who select their work. “It would be helpful to take longer to review finalists’ work and call in specialists if needed,” said Scott, of Dana Point.

City Council member Steve Dicterow applauds the new concept. “Art is a broad field and any expertise that helps in the selection of public art is a benefit for the entire community,” he said.

As currently envisioned, a public review panel may consist of three to five rotating members culled from a pool of approved applicants plus one arts commissioner. It will function in an advisory capacity, recommending artists or artist teams for public art projects. The very final recommendation of an artist or team will still be up to the commission and final approval still rests with the City Council.

People who feel qualified may apply to join the pool of potential panel members. Opportunities to serve will be ongoing, with actual service depending on the nature and scope of the project and needed panel member qualifications. Participants will be paid a honorarium, also dependent on the project. However, small projects will still be the sole premise of the Arts Commission, explained city arts manager Sîan Poeschl.

Gallery owners or artist agents disqualify due to potential conflicts of interest.

Applications and rules can be downloaded from www.lagunabeachcity.net