Role of Jury Members
When a jury is appointed to select 1% for Art, each member is appointed to fill a specific role. Since each jury member comes to the committee with their own preferences, art education and interests, it is helpful to refer back to the Anchorage Municipal Code 7.40 to understand why the appointments are specific. Each representative has a role and a vote on the jury.
Architect:
The architect is fundamentally critical to the selection process. He/she is the most familiar with the building / structure / park and communicates details of the architecture to the jury, explaining many elements which are difficult to visualize because they are not built yet. The architect will discuss whether they have designed specific areas for artwork designed into the building. The architect works with a design committee (usually consisting of community/ facility oriented people) and the Design Team (selected by the architect to design the interior, landscape, electrical, engineering, etc.) The architect is the conduit between those groups and the Art Selection Jury. The architect is also responsible to the jury for guidance regarding the timeline and level of possible integration of the artwork into their design.
Facility Representative:
The person representing the facility will represent their own point of view as well as the employees and constituents of the facility. Often they have served on the Design Committee and are familiar with the architectural plans. They need to bring programmatic, thematic and specific conditions of the building population to the attention of the jury. Although the facility representative answers to many persons, sometimes decisions rest with their opinion alone. They are often unable to vote based on a poll or suggestions from co-workers and peers and they must be comfortable in this role.
Professional Artist:
The professional artist serves on the jury to bring an artistic, historical and contemporary point of view of artwork to the jury. These artists live and work in Alaska and they know the creative climate in Anchorage. They have extensive training and exposure to the artistic process and because they have a trained eye, they are often able to visualize artwork from its completed perspective. The professional artist brings a voice to the jury that is critical is selecting artwork that is fresh, exciting and will endure over time.
Commission Representatives:
Arts Advisory Commission and the Urban Design Commission representatives are required to serve on 1% for Art juries. They represent the commission’s overall interests and bring knowledge about the arts and design to the jury’s perspective. Artwork that is selected is submitted to each commission for Safety and Maintenance approval. The commissioner serving on the jury should discuss the specific artwork at that time. The Urban Design Commission is also responsible for reviewing implementation of AMC 7.40 1% for Art as construction projects are approved at the preliminary design phase.
Community Representatives:
There are at least two community representatives. Both are generally users of the facility such as a PTA Parent, a consumer or a neighbor. One community representative can also be a student, if the facility is a school. Often one community member is the Professional Artist described above. The community involvement is important for an overall perspective regarding the historical aspects of the building or community, any issues, which might impact the imagery, (ex. not putting neon in a residential neighborhood) or the tone of the artwork. Whether the community can handle an exterior piece or a protected interior piece is more appropriate is also important. Sometimes the community person has been instrumental in getting the facility or building or park built and has a great deal of vested interest.
Project Manager:
The project manager works for the school district or the municipality and is not a voting member of the Art Selection Jury. They often attend meetings to provide technical input regarding structural, electrical or code questions that the architect is be unable to provide, such as playground safety guidelines, timeline of bonding, etc. They are guests at the meeting.
Curator of Public Art:
The 1% for Art Program is managed by the Office of Economic and Community Development of the Municipality of Anchorage under the direction of the Curator of Public Art, who administers the program and serves as a liaison between the many parties involved: the artists, project managers, municipal department representatives, architects, designers, community members, contractors, and selection committee members.
For more information, contact Angela Demma, Municipality of Anchorage, 1% for Art Program at (907) 343-6473 or send email to: Gideon.Gerlt@anchorageak.gov
Municipal Ordinance 7.40 states that 1% of appropriations for capital expenditures over $250,000 for municipal buildings and facilities be devoted to the acquisition of works of art. This legislation, based on an Alaska State ordinance passed in 1975, intends to develop a collection that enhances the buildings and sites with ‘permanent’ works of art designed to last the life of the building (generally considered 50 years). This includes new buildings as well as buildings that are undergoing a renovation that exceeds the above amount. Projects are exempt only if a very limited number of people will frequent the site. The 1% for Art program is a self-regulating program. When we’re not building new facilities, we’re not spending money on 1% for Art.
Many people think that public art is restricted to large, exterior steel sculptures. However, only about 15 sculptures of the over 460 pieces in our collection fit this description. The Anchorage program includes works of art in a variety of scales and media. Depending on the commission budget and the use of the facility, both 2-dimensional paintings and fiber works have been selected. Also, work that is integrated with the architecture, such as floor and tile work, stained glass, furniture and landscape design all exist as part of this program.