Good morning,

We are running into significant maintenance costs with several artworks less than 10 years after install, and I am brainstorming potential ways to avoid or at least reduce the chance of a similar situation in the future. What do you or your program do to prepare for potential future maintenance problems? Advice, thoughts, policies, etc welcomed!

Some ideas:

- Identify expected lifespan for artworks in the artist contract?

- How to educate selection committee members about materials and potential maintenance issues?

- Set aside maintenance funds for each commission?

- Policies limiting specific materials/artwork types to avoid high cost maintenance in the future (such as lighting, digital technology, water features)?

- Require an artist to hire a conservator to review materials and identify short and long term maintenance needs?

Thanks much!

Eleanor

Eleanor Sandys   she/hers or they pronouns

Visual Arts Coordinator

Oregon Arts Commission

971-707-3004 | eleanor.sandys@oregon.gov