Daniel Rumbolt, Visual Arts Representative, was welcomed to the Panel.
The Arts & Cultural Development Coordinator notified the Committee that the Art Procurement Program budget has been renewed for $20,000. The program will be communicated via the City Communications department.
Planning is in the early stages and staff is reviewing the program to address any changes that need to be made with consideration to keeping it in line with the Provincial Art Bank Program. The Arts & Culture Development Coordinator will reach out to the Panel for juror recommendations. In the past the process included an annual deadline where individual artists or galleries would submit up to three pieces of work per artist in digital format. A jury was then convened to review the submissions and make the selections with a deadline for a decision. Submissions tend to be smaller pieces and there is approximately 12-15 average pieces of work purchased per year.
There are approximately 300 items of art in the City art collection and there is currently no art lending program; however, art pieces can be viewed via the City of St. John's Archives. Wyatt Hall has themed art exhibits throughout the year which are recirculated quarterly, chosen by staff on the basis of seasons. A member of the Panel suggested an online gallery. Staff advise that this would be a considerable undertaking and there would a cost involved. It was recommended that Daniel Rumbolt review the cost associated to put the art online for viewing and report back to the Panel, taking into consideration the cost of online infrastructure required for an online library. It was also noted that currently the City is doing a website update and an online art gallery could possibly be tied into that update.
A member recommended a curator could select a thematic selection of work for display in Wyatt Hall. It was noted that in 2015 a curator was contracted to develop three exhibitions taken from the civic art collection. They were displayed for four months in Wyatt Hall. Two of those exhibitions have since been remounted in Wyatt Hall and the third will be remounted in May for the Spring and Summer months. Thea Morash will check with Neachel Keeping, head archivist for the City, and see what is not currently hung on the walls. It was suggested that a list be published of what art is available in archives.
The Director of Economic Development, Culture and Partnerships advised the Panel that the City will be hosting the Federation of Canadian Municipalities National Conference on Sustainable Communities in October. The Mayor will hold a Mayor's reception in Wyatt Hall. The intent is to review the City's art collection to see what artwork is created with reclaimed, reused, recycled materials and create a themed exhibit.