Dear Vince –

Perhaps the framework of the interpretation is incorrect. When you invite artists to submit their qualifications, and then move to a second stage of selection by paying artists to come up with concepts, you are paying to better understand how the finalists think, which is truly an extended interview process.

Here in Austin, we tell selection panelists that they may use an additional proposal phase to further qualify finalists in order to select an artist, not an artwork. The selected artist may eventually create something similar to their concept, however they may not, once they have the time and resources required to fully understand the opportunities and constraints determined by the site, the community, the stakeholders, the City department, etc.

Hope this helps-

Sue

Susan Lambe, PLA, CNU-A

Art In Public Places Program Manager

512.974.7852

Mailing address: Cultural Arts Division Office P.O. Box 1088, Austin, TX 78767

austincreates.com :: facebook.com/AustinAIPP :: resources for artists!

From: public_art_network@americansforthearts.simplelists.com [mailto:public_art_network@americansforthearts.simplelists.com] On Behalf Of Vince Reddy
Sent: Wednesday, April 10, 2019 5:15 PM
To: public_art_network@americansforthearts.simplelists.com
Subject: RE: paying artists for concepts

Thanks, Renee. Your message is helpful. As we work on resolving this issue, we have been picking artists solely on qualifications, which has worked well in some situations but not in others.

I am just returning to the listserv after somehow detaching from it, so I will be getting back into the various conversations.

Thanks again.

Vince

Vince Reddy

LAND studio

From: public_art_network@americansforthearts.simplelists.com [mailto:public_art_network@americansforthearts.simplelists.com] On Behalf Of Renee Piechocki
Sent: Wednesday, April 10, 2019 6:08 PM
To: Meredith Bergmann (via public_art_network list) <public_art_network@americansforthearts.simplelists.com>
Subject: Re: paying artists for concepts

Dear Vince,

This is an important question and I hope the brains on this listserv can help you come up with a solution so artists get paid for their work.

Here are some ideas / questions.

1. It sounds like your default selection method is a limited design competition, perhaps preceded by an RFQ. The easiest way around your issue could be to rethink your selection method. Stop asking multiple artists to develop concept for one project. Pick one artist based on qualifications. Enter into a contract with one artist to come up with ideas based on a significant amount of time and energy working with the site, community, etc. rather than paying for a design competition where you are most likely not paying the artists enough money to come up with concepts. (A recent, and frequent, topic on this listerv). 

2.. Does the municipality use the same kind of limited design competition for all other capital projects? Does the municipality you are working with pay multiple other designers (architects, landscape architects) to develop the initial concepts for capital projects?  I am guessing they don't do that and they just pick one firm based on qualifications.  You hire an architect to develop a library.  The architect does not come to the table with a library already designed. Can you align the policy and procedures of the work flow of artists with the work of other designers?  If the municipality does pay multiple architects to make design concepts, and you want to keep your limited design competition method, perhaps pointing out that similarity will help. 

I hope these ideas are helpful.

Renee

On Wed, Apr 10, 2019, at 1:38 PM, Vince Reddy wrote:

Everyone,

We have run into a situation with a municipal public art program that had, in the past, paid artists for concepts out of bond funds for the capital projects the artwork would be a part of. Recently, this source of funding has been cut off, because, based on an interpretation of the applicable regulations, bond funds cannot be used to pay for designs that will not be implemented, a situation that always occurs when multiple artists are producing concepts for a project through which only one concept will ultimately be commissioned.

I assume that the municipality could simply use general fund dollars or income-tax proceeds to cover the cost of artists’ concepts, but I agreed to first do some research on what funding sources other municipal public art programs use to cover this kind of cost.

Any information or insight any of you may have on this topic would be appreciated.

Thank you.

Vince Reddy

Vince Reddy, AICP

Project Manager

LAND studio

1939 W. 25th St., Suite 200

Cleveland, Ohio 44113

216-621-5413, ext. 107

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