Chapter 13.08
ART COLLECTION MANAGEMENT
Sections:
13.08.020 Display and siting works of art.
13.08.030 Documentation and conservation of works of art.
13.08.040 Deaccessioning works of art.
13.08.050 Administrative procedures.
13.08.060 Inapplicability to art in city facilities.
13.08.010 Acquisition of art.
(1) Objective. To establish policies and guidelines for hosting and adding works of art to the city’s collection of art.
(2) Definitions.
(a) “Acquire/acquisition(s)” means the procurement of works of art through donation, direct purchase or any other means.
(b) “City” means the city of Longview, Washington.
(c) “Hosting/host” means the city displaying a loaned work of art.
(d) “Squirrel bridges” shall mean those pieces of art that are bridge structures created for the specific use of squirrels.
(e) “Works of art” means all forms of visual and tactile art, including squirrel bridges.
(f) Definitions set forth in LMC 2.28.010 are incorporated herein by reference.
(3) Policies.
(a) The city may host, acquire and/or display artwork for the benefit and enjoyment of its citizens.
(b) The art must appeal to or provide meaning to, in a significant way, a larger portion of the population. The art should bring meaningful benefit to public spaces and make them more enjoyable.
(c) The art should be founded in the freedoms of thought and creative expression. It should reflect the diversity and richness of the community.
(d) Art acquired or hosted by the city shall be of high quality and be consistent with the policies adopted by the city.
(e) The acquisition and hosting process shall encourage the creation of many types of artworks.
(f) Selection procedures shall encourage open public discussion to ensure that all concerned parties are able to be involved in the process, including the city, the Longview visual arts commission, the general public, the business community and the arts community.
(g) Whenever appropriate, selection procedures shall encourage collaboration between artists and design professionals including architects, landscape architects, project managers and engineers.
(h) Selection procedures shall establish specific criteria for the acceptance of gifts of art or the loan of art to the city. Generally, gifts shall be accepted without restrictions as to future use or disposition.
(i) Acquisition or hosting of an artwork implies that it will be of value to the city collection, that it will be thoughtfully sited or displayed, and that it will be properly maintained by the city if an acquired work of art, or by the artist or permittee for a hosted work of art.
(j) The city shall establish and maintain complete and accurate records that include documents transferring title, artists’ contracts, reports, invoices, insurance coverage and other pertinent material.
(k) Works of art shall be acquired without legal restrictions about use and disposition, except as to hosted art and with respect to copyrights or other specifically defined rights as part of the contract negotiated with the artist.
(l) The liability associated with ownership of works of art shall be covered under the city’s insurance programs, if available. If the city is not the owner of the work of art, the cost of such insurance shall be reimbursed to the city by the owner or sponsoring entity or permittee for display of the work of art. If insurance is not available through the city, then the owner, sponsoring entity, or the permittee of the work of art shall be required to obtain insurance in a type and amount determined appropriate by the city manager or his/her designee, including naming the city of Longview as an insured party.
(m) In addition, acquired works of art shall:
(i) Be appropriate in size, scale, material, form and style for the social and physical environment in which it is to be placed;
(ii) Be durable;
(iii) Have high resistance to vandalism or theft;
(iv) Be maintainable at a reasonable cost as determined solely by the city;
(v) Be warranted by the artist or permittee for two years to meet the conditions set forth in subsections (3)(m)(i) through (iv) of this section; and
(vi) Minimize city liability exposure related to ownership and display of the art. (Ord. 3172 § 1, 2011).
13.08.020 Display and siting works of art.
(1) Objective. To establish a plan for the thoughtful display or siting of works of art.
(2) Definitions.
(a) “Display” means the showing of a work of art.
(b) “Temporary display” means the display of artwork for a period of two years or less.
(c) “Permanent display” means the display of a work of art for a period of more than two years’ duration.
(3) Policies.
(a) The city shall develop an artwork site plan that identifies locations within the city for the placement of art. This plan should be reviewed and updated at least every two years.
(b) The plan should identify locations for display of works of art, as well as the planned movement of appropriate works of art to various locations in the city.
(c) Works of art intended for permanent display may be placed on property or public right-of-way of the city only upon approval by the city council.
(d) Works of art intended for temporary display may be placed on property or public right-of-way of the city only upon prior written permission of the city manager or his/her designee.
(e) The display and siting of works of art in the public right-of-way or in a public park require a permit from the department of public works or the department of parks and recreation, respectively, to include the following:
(i) A work schedule, construction materials, traffic control plan, method of attachment details and engineering analysis stamped by an engineer registered in the state of Washington, and/or other pertinent information deemed necessary by the director of public works or his/her designee to ensure public access and safety is maintained during and after installation of the work of art;
(ii) The permit shall require a preinstallation meeting with appropriate city staff prior to beginning work;
(iii) The installation schedule and date of beginning shall be subject to approval by the director of public works or his/her designee. A minimum of five working days’ advance notice shall be given prior to the commencement of approved work;
(iv) Extensions, repairs, or modifications to permitted work shall be subject to a separate review, approval and collection of fees prior to amending the permit for such additional work; and
(v) The cost of the permit shall be determined by ordinance or resolution of the city council.
(f) Display of a specific work of art at a location in the public right-of-way identified on the city’s artwork site plan shall be subject to the advance written approval of the abutting property owner, business owner or resident. (Ord. 3172 § 1, 2011).
13.08.030 Documentation and conservation of works of art.
(1) Objectives.
(a) To ensure the care of works of art for systemic record keeping.
(b) To ensure regular examination, preservation and restoration of works of art.
(2) Definitions.
(a) “Conservation” means a broad concept of care encompassing three activities: examination, preservation and restoration.
(b) “Preservation” means actions taken to retard or prevent deterioration or damage in works of art, and to maintain them in as unchanging a condition as possible.
(c) “Restoration” means the treatment of a deteriorated or damaged work of art to approximate as nearly as possible its original form, design, color and function with minimal further sacrifice of aesthetic integrity.
(3) Policies.
(a) The city shall systematically document all existing and new works of art in the city’s collection.
(b) The city shall examine all works of art on a regular basis.
(c) The city shall conserve its works of art in a planned and orderly manner through actions which will preserve the condition of the artwork and, if required, attempt to restore artwork to its near-original condition.
(d) The city shall have the sole discretion whether or not to restore, deaccess or dispose of a work of art as provided in this chapter, except that hosted works of art shall be returned to the artist or permittee if not restored. (Ord. 3172 § 1, 2011).
13.08.040 Deaccessioning works of art.
(1) Objective. To establish policies for reviewing the status of artwork.
(2) Definitions.
(a) “Deaccessioning” means the removal of an artwork from permanent or long-term display, whether it is disposed of or not.
(b) “Disposal” means actions that result in the cessation of ownership and possession of an artwork.
(c) “Temporary work of art” means artwork with an intended or anticipated life span, or on a short-term loan, of less than two years.
(3) Policies.
(a) The city shall seek to ensure the ongoing presence and integrity of all works of art at the sites where they are located.
(b) In conjunction with the review and update of the artwork site plan, the status of all works of art shall be reviewed for possible deaccessioning. This review shall be taken cautiously in order to avoid the potential influence of periodic fluctuations in tastes or immediate pressures of public controversy.
(c) For temporary works of art on display, their removal or relocation shall generally not be considered before the work of art has been in place for 60 percent of its anticipated life span or agreed upon loan term, unless otherwise specified in the loaned artwork agreement.
(d) Consideration for deaccession or disposal shall be subject to careful review procedures that include input from art professionals and the public. Criteria for reviewing art shall address the quality of the work itself and how it relates to the city’s goals and policies for art.
(e) A work of art may be considered for deaccessioning or disposal for one or more of the following reasons:
(i) The condition or security of the work of art cannot be reasonably assured;
(ii) The work endangers public safety;
(iii) The work is damaged and repair is not practicable or feasible;
(iv) The work requires excessive maintenance;
(v) A suitable site for display of the work is no longer available. This could include a significant change in the use, character or design of an existing site which affects the integrity of the work;
(vi) The work is not or is rarely displayed;
(vii) The work has received significant adverse public opinion continuously for one or more years;
(viii) The quality or the authenticity of the work is called into question;
(ix) The department which displays the work requests that its status be reviewed;
(x) Removal is requested by the artist. (Ord. 3172 § 1, 2011).
13.08.050 Administrative procedures.
The city administration is authorized and directed to develop and implement administrative procedures required or necessary to support the policies set forth in this chapter. (Ord. 3172 § 1, 2011).
13.08.060 Inapplicability to art in city facilities.
This chapter shall not be applicable to the display of visual art in public or nonpublic places inside city facilities. (Ord. 3172 § 1, 2011).