Art in Public Places:
One of the Oldest Public Art Programs in the Country
Children with fountain sculpture

Last month we highlighted the beginnings of the Art in Public Places (APP) program. This month we take a look at its growth over the next few decades. 

With just a few projects completed, formal goals for the APP program were established in 1980, including to serve as a link between the public and artists, maintain awareness of the built environment, increase the understanding and enjoyment of public art by Sacramento's residents, and provide unusual and challenging employment opportunities for artists. 

To meet these goals, the Arts Commission launched Sculpture Sacramento in 1982, a public education component of the APP program centered around the installation of several major, permanent artworks throughout the City and County. The initiative provided numerous opportunities and approaches to view and discuss public art, including temporary installations, exhibitions in local galleries, a film series, gallery tours, and seminars. 

During the mid-1980s, Art in Public Places collaborated with Regional Transit and assisted the City in its efforts to revitalize downtown. By 1988, K Street Mall alone housed $160,000 worth of public art commissions. In 1989, the Central Library Expansion resulted in the largest single Art in Public Places commission ($192,000) to date at that time. In 1999, the Esquire Plaza Project brought in artwork by Richard Hunt, Beverly Pepper, Dale Chihuly and a few others. Soon after that, the Sheraton Hotel, Embassy Hotel, and Urban League Project all received art commissions. 

The program grew dramatically in the decade from 1996 to 2006, more than doubling the annual projects administered from 10-15 to 30 or more. When the Art in Public Places program celebrated its 30th birthday in 2007, it was one of the few city-county programs still around.

Everywhere you look in Sacramento, you will see art commissioned through the Art in Public Places program. Visit our online collection to see images of the hundreds of works in our collection, or take your own tour around Sac with one of our downloadable maps and see 40 years of public art commissions in person!

Photo: A Girl Scouts troop explores artist Cynthia Hurley's stainless steel screen at the base of "Burden Basket" by Archie Held, located at City Hall.

June 1 Special Meeting

Join the Arts Commission today, June 1, for a special meeting. Candidates for the Cultural Services + Creative Economy Manager position--Jonathon Glus and Matt Lehrman--will make presentations. 

The meeting will take place in the Historic City Hall Council Chambers at 2:00 p.m.

Cultural Arts Awards: Apply by June 29

The Cultural Arts Award grant application is closing this month! Granted through a competitive review process, CAA grants assist eligible nonprofit arts and cultural organizations with general operating expenses or non-arts organizations with arts project support. This grant provides up to three years of support, beginning in 2018. Click here to find guidelines and more information. All applications are due June 29, 2017 and must be submitted via  www.SMACgrants.org.

Photo: B Street Theatre School Tour.
Join Our Panelist Pool

The Arts Commission takes its accountability to the public seriously, and we strive to ensure a equitable and transparent review process. Although there are slight differences in procedure across program areas, each eligible application is reviewed by a panel of arts professionals and community members who are exceptionally proficient in their field.

We are regularly in need of artists, educators, advocates, and community members with expertise in the arts, education, and the communities we serve. Apply to the Panelist Pool. 

Photo: Artist Annabeth Rosen serves as a panelist for the Golden 1 Center Public Art Project. Photo by Joan Cusick.

Exhibition Reception: "There It Is!" The Paintings of Jim Kimberly

Reception & Artist Talk
June 16, 2017
5:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Robert T. Matsui Gallery
City Hall, 915 I Street ( map)

This exhibition highlights the large, dynamic paintings of California artist Jim Kimberly. Kimberly, a sculptor diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) in 2013, has re-imagined his career as an artist to accommodate the growing challenges of his disease. He now works as a painter, using a modified paint brush affixed to his motorized wheel chair. Join us as we celebrate the tenacity of a creative spirit. 

The show is curated by Marc Lancet, a ceramicist and co-author of Japanese Wood-fired Ceramics.

Photo: Artist Jim Kimberly. 
Popular Artwork at Sacramento International Airport has been Repaired

The Terminal B artwork, “Your Words are Music to Their Ears,” is again up and running and delighting passengers of all ages. Shaped to evoke a giant French horn, the 10-foot-tall steel sculpture by Bay area artists Po Shu Wang and Louise Bertelsen invites waiting travelers to become co-creators of the artwork content by typing messages on the sculpture keyboard. The text is converted to music that emanates from the sculpture, entertaining passengers with an instant literary-based musical composition. The content of the artwork is never the same twice. The part Wi-Fi terminal, part musical instrument was out of commission for several months as the artist and programmer analyzed an Internet connection problem and cleaned interior components.Wang and Bertelsen collaborated on several interactive artworks that can be found in San Jose, San Francisco, Charlotte, San Diego and Calgary, Canada. Bertlesen passed away in 2013.

Photo: "Your Words are Music to Their Ears" by Living Lenses (Louise Bertelsen and Po Shu Wang). 

Arts Commission honored with Dream Maker Award

The Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission has been chosen by the Arts For All Foundation as a recipient of the 2017 Dream BIG Dream Maker’s award. According to the Foundation, the Dream BIG Dream Maker’s award is awarded to those who go above and beyond to help others achieve their dreams. The awards ceremony will take place on July 29 at 6:00 pm. at the Sacramento Convention Center, as part of California's National Day of Dance concert. What a way to celebrate our 40th Anniversary!


District 8 Park Days: We'll be there! Will you?
Councilmember Larry Carr will host three Park Days in City District 8 this summer. In addition to live music, bounce houses, and food, Arts Commission staff will join a number of community organizations providing information about our programs. Stop by and say hello!

June 4 - 5:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Meadowview Park, 7760 24th Street ( map)
Visit our booth and chat with Hilary Amnah, our new Arts Education Coordinator!

June 18 - 5:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Nielsen Park, 7673 Center Parkway ( map)
Stop by our booth and say hello to Dianne Cripe, our Art in Public Places Administrator!

July 23 - 5:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Cabrillo Park, 1648 65th Avenue ( map)
Come meet Cultural Services Division Manager, Lennee Eller!

Singers with Hart Choral Program Looking for Accompanist
Sacramento’s premier choral ensemble for singers age 50 and older seeks an accompanist beginning August 2017. Candidates will have strong keyboard expertise and the ability to teach and coach an older population with diverse physical, vocal, and musical abilities. The ideal candidate will support the director in rehearsals and performances, improvise at the keyboard, have excellent sight reading skills, and have the ability to lead rehearsals for sectional work and in the director’s absence. Application deadline is Monday, June 12.  Learn more.
OPPORTUNITIES

Auditions - 15th Annual Juneteenth Festival - deadline June 4
This year's festival is scheduled for June 15 - 17 and includes opportunities for musicians and poets to perform. Events will be both at Cesar Chavez Park and William Land Park. Learn more and download an audition form. 

Apprenticeship - Alliance for California Traditional Arts - deadline June 17
The Alliance for California Traditional Arts (ACTA) Apprenticeship Program encourages the continuity of the state’s traditional arts and cultures by contracting master artists to offer intensive, one-on-one training to qualified apprentices. Each $3,000 contract will support a period of concentrated learning for apprentices who demonstrate a committed engagement with and talent for a specific folk & traditional art form or practice. Learn more. 

Call for Artists - Joshua's House - deadline June 17
Artists are invited to  submit work for a silent auction to benefit Sacramento’s homeless population. Inner Soul is an art show for and about shoes, benefiting Joshua’s House and accompanied by a shoe-focused donation drive to benefit Loaves and Fishes. Using the SHOE as a symbol, artists are invited to submit works in one of the following media: ceramic, watercolor, acrylic, oil, pastel, pen and ink, mixed media, collage, metal, or textile art. Artwork must include or suggest a shoe in some form. All artwork must be suitable for hanging or displaying and no larger than 24”x36” or wearable art. All artwork will be for sale. For more information please contact Helen Plenert at (916) 599-2608 or helen@hplenert.com.

Film Submissions - Sacramento Film and Music Festival - final deadline June 23
Sacramento Film and Music Festival is accepting entries via www.FilmFreeway.com and www.withoutabox.com. A film jury determines award winners (prizes available), plus there are audience awards. For more info, visit: http://www.sacfilm.com/submissions/ 

Click here for more opportunities.

Current Gallery Exhibitions
"There It Is!" Paintings by Jim Kimberly
through July 7, 2017
Sacramento City Hall, 915 I Street, Sacramento
Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm
Gerald Huth: A Visual Journey of Cultures and Civilizations
through July 12, 2017
6301 S Street, Sacramento
Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm
Celebrating California: an exhibition of paintings, collage, fiber, mosaic and photography by the Sacramento Fine Arts Center
through July 6, 2017
Board of Supervisors' Chambers, 700 H Street, Sacramento
Open when the County Board of Supervisors are in session.
Please check the Board agenda.
Arts Commission Meeting
June Arts Commission meetings are scheduled for:

June 1, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. (Special Meeting)
Historic City Hall Council Chambers, 915 I Street (map)

June 12, 2017 at 2:00 p.m.
Location TBD.