Hello Donald and PAN Colleagues,

The situation described arises regularly as the power and impact of public art becomes more widely accepted.   I see three facets: intent, ethics and efficacy.

Your intent is commendable, working to help organizations realize public art for their constituency and communities. Also, you want to please the elected officials who direct these persons to your offices.

The ethics need care. You are using your title, hours and civic expertise, during work hours, to consult on projects not in your municipal work flow.  Even if directed by the councilmember, a specific work assignment and related work flow should be discussed with your supervisor and Ethics Office.  The line between implementing policy and doing favors for private entities should be bright.

The efficacy is most concerning. Yours is a one-off solution to a growing public art in community wave, and you are creating and information silo.  How do you help people and projects in volume and equitably?  As a nerd, I answer with policies and programs.

You and your staff could internally develop a How to Public Art presentation and/or brochure, that could be downloaded from your web page, and the Councilmembers, and the Dept. of Neighborhoods, Planning, and others.  

You could hire a consultant to create this document and provide how-to sessions across the community – in partnership with your Neighborhoods, Planning, Police, and whoever is willing. And post those.

You could establish a public art consultants pool, individuals and firms who are vetted and able to work with small clients.  This has the added benefit of building those businesses, who must be paid, even a small consulting fee, for their work.  That is how art businesses build clients.  

You have the added advantage of PACNoCal, and the entire public art coalition of the state.

To answer your final question: yes I have done this work at not-for-profits including RACC, Houston Arts Alliance, Destination Crenshaw, Dublin (OH) Arts Council and others in California. We start by seeing the opportunity in consulting on public art, and stretching boundaries.  Let’s train the next generation in the tools for public art excellence.

Helen Lessick

HelenLessick.net

Los Angeles