Redlands Cultural Arts Commission Progresses with Public Art Initiative

REDLANDS >> The City of Redlands Cultural Arts Commission has begun reviewing artist presentations for the Mayor’s Public Art Initiative. Proposed by Mayor Paul Foster at the State of the City event in June 2015, the Initiative calls for a new piece of public art to be installed in the downtown corridor. The Cultural Arts Commission is currently identifying candidate sites on city-owned property in the downtown area and interviewing potential artists. In addition to creating a short list of proposed sites and artists for City Council to review, the Commission is also leading a fundraising campaign to meet the costs of this endeavor. At special meetings of the commission on Feb. 8 and 22, artists presented overviews of their experience, past works, and past costs. On Feb. 8, commissioners met with the two-man team of Richard Johnston and Parker Dunbar and individual artists Dan Romero, Patrick Jewett, and John Gilbert Luebtow. The Feb. 22 meeting heard presentations from Steve Appleton and Mary Beierle. Four more presentations are scheduled for a special meeting on March 7. Following the final presentation, commissioners will create a short list of two to three artists to present for City Council consideration and selection of a site and artist. The Cultural Arts Commission was formed in 1986 to advise the city council on the development of arts programs and facilities, the best ways to promote art education, support engagement with the arts, and to institute an Art in Public Places program. A formal Art in Public Places Program was created by further council action in 2009, and offers guidelines on the definition, selection and installation of art in the city. The Commission is one of several which serves the city, and is composed of volunteers who have a professional or personal connection to the cultural arts. The Cultural Arts Commission’s activities are supported primarily by donations and grants, with no monies coming from the city’s general fund. Meetings are open to the public and are held at 4 p.m. on the second Monday of each odd-numbered month in the Redlands City Council Chambers. The Commission’s next regular meeting is scheduled for March 14. Agendas and minutes of commission meetings can be found online at http://cityofredlands.org/commissions/culturalarts or in the City Clerk’s Office. For more information, e-mail the Cultural Arts Commission at culturalarts@cityofredlands.org or call (909) 798-7633.