REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
DATE: 05/03/2023
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Public Works Department
SUBJECT:
Title
CANVAS ON THE CURB ARTWORK RECOMMENDATIONS
End
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks the City Council to review and approve the final artwork selections for the Canvas on the Curb Program.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
That the City Council approve artwork for the Canvas on the Curb Program and the location of the first box to be wrapped.
Body
BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
On January 12, 2022, the City Council was presented with information on program options to transform existing utility cabinets into displays of public art. The presentation included information gathered from programs at eight (8) different public agencies, pros and cons for various options on how to administer the program, and requested direction on proceeding with a pilot program for the City of Corona. City Council provided feedback to staff which was utilized to design a kick-off program. On June 8, 2022, City Council received the proposed Utility Box Art Program information, provided direction for the City to fund the wrapping of the first box to kick-off the program, and approved proceeding with the project.
The project was renamed the “Canvas on the Curb” program, and it seeks to beautify seven (7) existing City-owned traffic signal cabinets with vinyl wrap using local artists. All areas of the City, except Downtown, were eligible for the program totaling 144 possible artwork locations. The City agreed to fund 50% of the program costs for the first year. Program materials and guidelines were developed and are included as attachments to this staff report. Subsequently, a call for artists was announced on social media on September 15, 2022. Staff also reached out directly to the Corona Art Association and high school art and graphics art teachers at Corona, Centennial, and Santiago High Schools.
ANALYSIS:
A total of 38 artwork submissions were received by the October 19th deadline with the artists preferred locations for their artwork. City staff from the Public Works Department, Community Services Department, and Communications Office narrowed down the submissions to 15 semi-finalists. On February 28, 2023, the City launched an online poll for the public to vote for their favorite artwork. When the survey closed on March 18, 2023, a total of 678 votes had been received, and the top seven (7) pieces of artwork were identified and are being presented to City Council for their review and approval to move forward with the program.
Upon City Council approval of the artwork, the artists will be required to sign a waiver which allows the City to use their artwork for the Canvas on the Curb program, including future advertising of the program, and will receive a $300 stipend for participating in the program. The City will fund the wrapping of the artwork that received the most votes to kick-off the program, which will be located at the intersection of Main and Ontario Street. A call for sponsors will also be issued to obtain 50% of the cost to wrap the remaining six boxes. Upon approval of the artwork, the first box will be wrapped in the summer and a call for projects will be launched.
COMMITTEE ACTION:
This item was presented at the January 12, 2022, and June 8, 2022, Committee of the Whole (COTW) Meetings.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The project is expected to cost $18,200. City funding for this program in the amount of $10,400 has been included in the Public Works operating budget for Fiscal Year 2023. The remaining funding of $7,800 is anticipated to come from six program sponsors.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that a project is exempt from CEQA if the activity is covered by the commonsense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. This action approves artwork which will be applied to existing traffic signal cabinets within the City, and there is no possibility that adopting this resolution will have a significant effect on the environment. Therefore, no environmental analysis is required.
PREPARED BY: TRACY MARTIN, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT MANAGER
REVIEWED BY: SAVAT KHAMPHOU, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
Attachments:
1. Canvas on the Curb - Recommendations Presentation
2. COTW Presentation from January 12, 2022
3. COTW Presentation from June 8, 2022
4. Program Application and Guidelines