Memorandum

City of Lawrence

City Manager’s Office

TO:	David L. Corliss, City Manager
FROM:	Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager
Date:	August 17, 2012
RE:	Request for Qualifications for Library Expansion Project Public Art

Background:

The City of Lawrence has a resolution calling for up to 2% of certain capital project budgets to be dedicated for public art.  The combined city-library group working on the library project has set the public art budget at $75,000.  There is a possibility to increase this budget amount if the art somehow integrates in a way that defrays another item already in the construction budget.  For example, if art were integrated onto the parking garage facade, the budget for the parking lot facade could be leveraged in addition to the $75,000. 

The percent for art resolution also calls for the establishment by the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission (LCAC) of a committee to select the art for the project.  A group consisting of representatives of the LCAC, library staff, library board and members of the architectural team have been meeting to discuss the appropriate way to proceed.  This is somewhat of a unique process because in order to preserve the opportunity to leverage the $75,000 with other budgeted funds within the project, the architect team needed to understand the general location for the integration of the art by mid-October.  The group had a lot of discussion and decided on a modified RFQ process that solicited qualifications from interested artists, along with a preliminary concept sketch and statement for art.  From those that respond, it is anticipated that the group would be narrowed to several finalists who are invited to submit more formal proposals.  The committee tentatively identified to select the art would include a mix of art professionals, cultural arts commissioners, citizens, and library representatives.  Specifically, the group is planned to include:  Mandy Enfield, Darin White, and Mari Russell (LCAC); Jenny Cook (Library employee & artist); Karen Allen (Library employee), Christopher Burger (Library Board of Trustees); Susan Craig (Spencer Museum of Art, former cultural arts commissioner); John Hachmeister (KU Associate Professor of Sculpture), and possibly a few additional library and/or public members.   

Requested Action:

Authorize distribution of the Request for Qualifications for public art for the Lawrence Public Library Expansion Project.