In general, public art is artworks displayed in publicly accessible places and buildings. Up until the mid 20th century, public art such as sculptures, mosaics, carvings and handmade building elements were normal parts of a building. To restore the lost aesthetic qualities, more than 350 American states, counties and cities require public art in public and/or private construction. Today, public art has come to mean traditional sculptures, interactive artworks, digital projections and murals, plus the full range of things made by artists for buildings, streetscapes and landscapes.
The Development Services Department of the City of Coral Springs along with a Public Art Consultant manages the program. An appointed citizen committee, the Public Art Committee (PAC), approves artwork proposals and final artworks on private property as well as purchases and commissions for new public art in the City.
For this program, public art can be many kinds of artistic creations by a professional artists. The PAC recommends evaluation of the artist first, then the artwork. In general, these artists must have experience in public art and be recognized via museum exhibitions, publication and other cultural institutions. Reproductions of original artwork, unlimited copies or mass-produced art objects do not satisfy this program unless approved by the City Commission. No matter the quality, items designed by the architects or other designers on the construction project will not satisfy this program.
The first criterion for any public art is the finest artwork available that is appropriate to the particular location. The city has established priority themes, qualities and types in the Public Art Guidelines. The priority artworks types are sculpture, interactive artworks, fountains and water features, urban furnishings and contemporary design-integrated public art.
All construction projects in non-residential zoning districts with more than 12,500 SF of estimated gross floor area of new, redeveloped, remodeled and/or converted space. In mixed-use districts and multi-family districts, the construction must exceed 12,500 SF and the site must be greater than one acre. In phased construction, all the square footage will be added together to evaluate the threshold of 12,500 SF.
The owner may pay a fee or purchase artwork for the property. If the owner pays the fee to the City of Coral Springs, the amount is $0.50 $0.51 per square foot in new construction and $0.25 per square foot in renovations. If the owner purchases on-site artwork, the owner must spend $0.64 $0.66 per square foot in new construction or redevelopment and $0.32 $0.33 per square foot in renovations. The amounts identified above are for fiscal years 2018 and 2019 only. In October of every other year, the figures are adjusted 3% or per the Consumer Price Index. The Public Art Program Guidelines for Property Owners May 2019 City of Coral Springs Public Art Program Page 6 above adjusted numbers were approved under Ordinance 2019-110 and are in effect as of October 1, 2019.
Before the issuance of the building permit, the property owner must pay the art fee to the City of Coral Springs or pay into the escrow fund with the City of Coral Springs. At any time later, the property owner can abandon the artwork purchase process and contribute the escrowed monies to the Public Art Fund.
No, the developer may contribute the entire art fee to the Public Art Fund for artworks on public lands in the city. The Public Art Committee will acknowledge the property owner’s contribution, with plaque on site.
Up to 75% of the art budget must be spent for artworks clearly visible from the public sidewalk or public space. Any remainder can be in areas of the building or site that are clearly visible only during business hours. The artwork locations should be proposed by the owner and then must be approved by the PAC. In the guidelines, the City has established suggested locations for artworks on properties along part of Sample Road, University Drive intersections and in the future Downtown area in the Coral Springs Downtown CRA.
First, the property owner should meet with Development Services staff and the Public Art Consultant to discuss the project as early as possible in the planning and design process. Issues of sites, costs and artwork quality will be discussed. Once agreed and a site(s) determined, the property owner can choose from two methods. The owner can ask the PAC to use its selection method or the owner can propose directly an artist or work of art. In both cases, the selected artist must meet the adopted guidelines of the City’s Public Art Program and the PAC and the owner must approve the final artist and work of art.
If no agreement is reached on the artworks, the property owner can end the selection process and contribute the art fee to the Public Art Fund. Or, the owner can appeal the decision to the City Commission on the grounds that the proposed artwork does satisfy the adopted guidelines of the City’s Public Art Program.
Unless extended by the PAC, the owner has six months from the issuance of the building permit to secure the approval of the PAC on a proposed artwork(s). The owner has six months from the issuance of the certificate of occupancy to install the artwork. If either deadline is missed without a granted extension, the art fee money in escrow will be deposited in the Public Art Fund for use in the City. With the contribution to the Public Art Fund, the owner has no responsibility to install artworks.
Public Art Program Guidelines for Property Owners May 2019 City of Coral Springs Public Art Program Page 7 No.