Art Commission OKs Annual Public Art Plan

At its March 28, 2012 meeting, the Ann Arbor public art commission unanimously approved a public art plan for the coming fiscal year, from July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013. The plan had been the topic of a four-hour retreat in late February. The city’s public art ordinance requires that AAPAC submit an annual plan to the city council by April 1.

About $1.13 million in unencumbered funds remains in the current public art budget. [The city’s public art ordinance requires that 1% of all capital project budgets (up to a limit of $250,000 per project) be set aside for public art.] The plan includes a list of ongoing projects, including: (1) installation of Ed Carpenter’s “Radius” sculpture in the lobby of the Justice Center ($150,000); (2) a mural in Allmendinger Park by Mary Thiefels ($12,000); (3) artwork for a rain garden at Kingsley and First ($27,000); (4) an Argo Cascades project near the Argo Pond canoe livery (budget TBD); and (5) artwork for the East Stadium bridges ($400,000).

This brief was filed from the basement conference room at city hall, 301 E. Huron St., where AAPAC held its March 28 meeting. A more detailed report will follow: [link]