Council OKs program for vetting public art
The San Rafael City Council voted to form a Public Art Advisory Board that will make recommendations to the council on public art projects. The council will have final say on projects. The approval also establishes a set of criteria to review applications.
San Rafael has approved a streamlined application process for public art projects after a successful one-year pilot program aimed at making it easier to submit proposals.
The City Council voted unanimously this week to form a public art advisory board that will make recommendations to the council, which will have final say on projects. The approval also establishes a set of criteria to review applications.
“We know there are so many artists in our community,” Vice Mayor Rachel Kertz said at the meeting Monday. “And it's a great opportunity to highlight the work that's out there, as well as bring people to San Rafael and use the spaces that we have for public art.”
Cristine Alilovich, assistant city manager, said the Canal Arts Initiative and the Terra Linda Social Justice Community Art Group approached the city in 2020 asking how to submit applications.
Alilovich said prior to the new program, applications for murals on public and private property required review by the Design Review Board and the Planning Commission. Submitting an application came with an $8,000 fee. The review process took up to six months, city officials said. For other types of public art, such as statues, the fee ranged from $1,167 to $4,693, depending on the size of the piece.
Alilovich said staff saw this as an area to make the application more equitable.
There is no fee to submit an application for review under the program, and projects will not require Design Review or Planning Commission approval.
Instead, the city's library and recreation director, applications will be subject to an at least eight-week staff review, said Catherine Quffa. Staff will determine the logistics of the project, what the required maintenance might be and whether there are safety issues.
The Public Art Review Board will then consider the proposal. If the art is proposed for Pickleweed Park or the Albert J. Boro Community Center, the Pickleweed Advisory Committee also would have to sign off on the project. If not, the project goes to City Council for final approval. The art review board will have final say on short-term projects and will not require council approval.
Staff will work with applicants to revise projects that are rejected, Quffa said.
The criteria to be considered by staff and the board include project readiness, qualifications of the artist or group proposing the project, funding sources, community input, maintenance, design and diversity.
The 56-foot mural sponsored by the Canal Arts Initiative was completed last summer.
The artwork was installed at 3301 Kerner Blvd., a building that will soon be converted to permanent affordable housing with supportive services, to serve as a welcome sign to the community.
Kristen Jacobson, executive director of Youth In Arts, the nonprofit sponsor of the Terra Linda Social Justice Community Art Group, said they're working on final fundraising
steps to install the project.
That project was in response to the chalk mural honoring the life of Breonna Taylor that was removed from the intersection at Manuel T. Freitas Parkway and Las Gallinas Avenue.
“We're so excited about the public art review process and board, and we're completely in support of community based organizations, like ours, to be in partnership in this process,” Jacobson said.
Councilmember Maribeth Bushey said, “One thing that we've learned through the pandemic is the importance of art, and I can't wait to have more art in San Rafael.”