Art-funding rule changed by Council

Tue., July 20, 2004

By Mike Prager mikeprager15@gmail.com (509) 459-5454

For more than 20 years, the city of Spokane has adorned its new public buildings by requiring that 1 percent of the construction budget be devoted to artwork.

Fire stations, libraries, City Hall and other city buildings contain a variety of sculptures, stained glass, panels or other adornments.

At Fire Station No. 3 at Indiana and Ash, a jumble of sculpted fire hoses appears to be bursting from one of the station’s walls. The Downtown Library has 12 tablets mounted high on the walls. The Ag Trade Center has an artistic arbor on the landscaped grounds along the Spokane River.

On Monday, the City Council voted unanimously to change the city’s “1 percent for art” rule to allow some of the money to be pooled for artwork in public spaces outside of new buildings.

Mayor Jim West sought the change to give the city greater flexibility in using its art money.

The ordinance approved Monday night allows the city’s art director to request that up to one half of the 1 percent for artwork be diverted into a municipal art projects fund. The director would ask for the diversion when a new building project comes up for funding before the City Council.

Arts Director Karen Mobley said the idea is to create a fund to pay for artwork in neighborhoods, parks and business districts. Spending from the fund would have to follow the city’s municipal arts plan as well as its comprehensive plan. Projects would be approved in consultation with the Arts Commission. Artwork in libraries and parks would be subject to approval by the library and park boards.

Mobley said she envisions the fund being used to create large new public monuments or artistic gateways to neighborhood business districts.

Most cities require that a portion of new building projects include a small amount of money for art. Coeur d’Alene established a public art program several years ago.

West said the change will continue the policy of including art in new buildings, but will offer a chance to create artwork in other public spaces as well. “We don’t have to spend it all in one place,” he said.

The ordinance adopted Monday also makes a minor change to comply with a recent court ruling requiring that art projects funded through the city’s utilities have a close relationship to the utility service providing the money, Mobley said.

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