2017-05-04 Minutes PUBLIC ART COMMITTEE
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
After determining that a quorum is present,the Public Art Committee of the City of Denton, Texas
convened in a Regular Meeting on Thursday, May 4, 2017, at 4 p.m. at City Hall, Downstairs
Conference Room, 215 E. McKinney St., Denton, Texas, at which the following items were be
considered:
Members present: Guy Bruggeman,Millie Giles,Brian Wheeler,Frank Mayhew,Joe Duncan,
Susan Vaughan, Ed Steele, Erin Clegg, and Gerri Veeder
Staff present: Janie McLeod
Ex-Officio: Tracey Bays-Booth, Greater Denton Arts Council
Chairman Bruggeman called the meeting to order at 4:03 p.m.
APPROVAL OF APRIL 6, 2017 MINUTES: The minutes were approved with a motion by
Mayhew and seconded by Steele.
DISCUSSION ITEMS
MLK Jr Rec Center Public Art. Giles shared her concept of imagines for the art at the MLK Jr.
Rec Center and showed a rendering of the art. Giles discussed how the concept encompassed the
values that the community had submitted. Giles commented that a craft person would need to do
the work.
Vaughan asked, what next steps are needed to share the concept with the community. McLeod
explained that the concept has not been accepted by the PAC and that the project would need to
go out to bid for proposals/open call to artists. It was discussed using the program "CAFE" to
solicit artists, and then have the selected artist go back to the community and consult with the
community for their engagement.
Wheeler requested information on the balance of the Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) for
Safety and Parks and from the Hotel/Motel Occupancy Tax (HOT) fund account.
Status of the James Surls Sculpture. McLeod said the purchase is scheduled to go to City Council
on May 23.
Discussion was continued on selecting a location for the Surls artwork. McLeod shared with the
PAC that the art would not be able to be located at the Patterson Appleton Arts Center (PAAC)
since the area being considered isn't a park and the funds can only be used for Parks locations. It
had been suggested to make the PAAC area into a park area but McLeod said that when the bonds
were sold, it wasn't a park so the funds cannot be used in that location.
The PAC discussed locating the art in front of City Hall. Wheeler suggested a location in the Civic
Center garden area. Vaughan asked if there were areas in Denton that hasn't received art. Clegg
suggested the North Lakes Park area near the disc golf area. The PAC commented that there
wasn't any parking for people to stop and view the art and that the traffic would at a high rate of
speed and another location be considered.
The PAC agree to walk to the Civic Center garden area and the front of City Hall to view the sites
after the meeting.
Art Acceptance Policy. There was discussion on the policy and the PAC was not able to agree on
the policy. Duncan commented that the burden to donor is too great and the policy needs to make
the donation easy for the donor. Vaughan and Duncan will continue to work on the policy.
Art Verses Print. Previously, a donation of prints were not accepted and now the City is being
offered a donation of restored(cleaned up)photographs. McLeod asked if the photographs would
be considered fine art or treated as prints. The PAC agreed that the photographs would not be
considered fine art. Giles donation of art for Fire Station#2 does not needed to go before Council
for approval.
Mission Statement for Public Art Committee. The PAC discussed a draft mission statement and
noticed that some of the same words had been use reputably.
Duncan asked about how was the mission statement to be used. The PAC discussed it is needed
for branding, serve as the roles and responsibilities for the PAC, serve as the litmus test to base
decisions and selections of art. Duncan suggested the mission statement be pare down and use a
few catch words—something easy to remember. The PAC will submit three to four key words they
would like to have included in the mission statement and review it at the next meeting.
Relocation of Art Sculpture at Central Fire Station. Bays-Booth confirmed that the GDAC still
wants the artwork at their site. She added that the PAAC will be under construction the second
week of June. Bays-Booth inquired if the art would need a new foundation or could the current
one be used. McLeod said she will have someone look into the base.
ACTION ITEMS
Art Acceptance Policy. The topic was tabled by Duncan and seconded by Steele.
Mission Statement for Public Art Committee. The topic was tabled by Duncan and seconded by
Steele.
STANDING ITEM
Update on 911 Fire Memorial Project. McLeod shared that a New York firefighter will be coming
to speak at 9/11 Memorial dedication. Joe Spade planned to be in Arlington in September and
agreed to come to Denton to be our guest speaker.
McLeod added that the general contractor was approved by City Council and that a trip is
planned to check out the fabricator in Alabama.
Actively Seek Local Artists. Hold
Strategic Plan/Mission Statement. Hold
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:27 p.m.