Pittsburgh Art Commission reorganized, city fund for public art created

Pittsburgh’s Art Commission and the percentage given to the city’s art program are set to be reorganized.

City Council voted unanimously last week to approve changes proposed by Mayor Ed Gainey.

This comes about a month after the mayor removed all prior Art Commission members with little explanation.

He then proposed a plan to divide the Art Commission into a committee dedicated to reviewing public art such as paintings and sculptures and a committee focused on civic design such as construction and renovation of public buildings, parks and certain projects in the right of way.

The administration has said it is aiming to reduce the number of proposals before the volunteers who serve on the commission and ensure that the commissioners voting on the projects have expertise that matches what they review.

The legislation approved by City Council last week will require that the Public Art Review Committee consist of four practicing artists or art professionals and one community representative.

The Civic Design Review Committee will be comprised of four practicing architects, urban designers or build environment professionals, plus one community representative.

The members’ terms will coincide with the mayor’s. The mayor will appoint members to the respective committees, with City Council approval.

Gainey has not yet named any potential appointees, though Councilwoman Erika Strassburger last week urged him to appoint people quickly so the revamped commission could begin its work in January. She also suggested that the mayor should reappoint some of the people who had served on the Art Commission previously.

When the prior commission was disbanded, its president and chairman Andrew Moss had voiced concerns about a loss of institutional knowledge that could come from removing every commissioner with experience and replacing them with a completely new slate of members.

Related:

• Proposal to reorganize Pittsburgh's art commission advances

• Gainey looks to revamp Art Commission after removing all prior commissioners

• Gainey to replace all members of Pittsburgh Art Commission

City Council also unanimously approved a related measure that will change the city’s percentage for art program, which stipulates that at least 1% of the cost of municipal construction or renovation of public buildings be set aside for public art. Established in 1977, the rule applies to projects that cost $50,000 or more.

Currently, the city department in charge of the project must include the required public art in the specific project budget.

Under Gainey’s new system, the Department of City Planning’s capital budget will include funds for public art equivalent to 1% of the total construction or renovation costs slated for each year.

The change, officials said, aims to give the city the flexibility to distribute art throughout the city equitably and engage with residents to determine where art should be located.

A third related piece of legislation, also unanimously approved, will create the Public Art Trust Fund. The fund will collect contributions to the Public Art Performance Point program, which allows developers to increase the density of their developments by incorporating community priorities, including public art.

The fund also will be able to receive private charitable donations, matching funds from charitable entities and budgeted transfers from the general fund. Projects funded through money from the trust fund will need council approval.