1. Have you heard of a similar project?
    
2. How beneficial would your organization find such a survey?
    
3. Would representatives of your organization be willing to participate in the public art survey?

These are the unedited responses:

Have you heard of a similar project?

• No (18)
• Have you been in contact with Public Art Network of the Americans for the Arts? Your project sounds similar to the kind of things they are doing and thinking about doing.
• Has Seattle done a similar survey?
• CAC has been doing a survey of arts organizations--not the same thing as a survey on public art, but related.
• For similar projects, I'd check with Jack Becker in Minneapolis who runs FORECAST, which publishes Public Art Review. Also, there's a public art consortium affiliated with Americans for the Arts, they might know. I also think USC's public art program was trying to do something similar - Jay Willis would have that info. If you have any trouble getting any of these phone numbers, let me know during the week, as I have them at my office. (818-548-2780; erappoport@ci.glendale.ca.us)
• I believe that SOS! did a public art survey a few years ago (I know Pasadena participated). This might form the basis for much of what you are looking to produce.
• Every year, there is a meeting of the public art professionals as part of the Americans for the Arts Conference. One component of that meeting is a section called "The Year in Review" at which the most notable public art projects of the previous year are presented in slide form with written summaries of the projects. It is extremely useful, particularly since they are now making the slide sets available for purchase. For more information, you should contact Renee Pichocki at AFTA 202/371-2830.
• No, I do not know of another survey as such. However a book featuring some case studies is being compiled by Mark Johnston of Los Angeles and Leslie Aboud of the Bay Area. I don't know what level of depth they go into or exactly what the focus is.
• No. What is the purpose of the feasibility study? The survey? How do you plan on using the information. each project is unique unto itself. In my opinion, there is no one correct way to measure the success of a public art project.
• USC has their website of documented projects and several organizations (including our own) have websites with information on projects, however a true analysis of approaches has never been done to my knowledge (and in fact I wouldn't limit that statement to California).
• I believe Phoenix has done a similar survey and publication. Seems to
• me I read about it but I am not sure.
• There have been surveys done in Yolo County, basically a directory of Public Art.
• I haven't heard of such a project, although there are lists certainly for certain cities, etc.
• No, but you might check with the public art project at USC.

How beneficial would your organization find such a survey?

• Extremely (4)
• Very (5)
• As an independent Public Art Consultant, I would find it beneficial.
• I think it would benefit us in some ways: i.e. not feeling so alone in some of our battles. I would, however, have concerns that it might cause people to limit themselves with there pursuits if they started to choose what art was "safe" and what "works". We still have to have some room for risk and imagination. Even mistakes.
• A catalogue of existing public art would be very useful. A chronical of community responses would also be interesting if it could be done in an unbiased manner.
• I'm not sure how beneficial this would be to our org. We keep on top of the activities through conversations (formal and informal) through the national network and the local public art administrator network that we formed two years ago. Also, artists are a travelling band of information - we see them as they apply and/or work on projects and they fill us in on current events. Sounds like a lot of work and that it might be more helpful to smaller organizations, but not as much help to larger programs.
• CC&C (our organization) might not find it too useful, but I personally am also involved in some public art projects in the city of El Cerrito (and AC5, the Arts & Culture Commission of Contra Costa County, on which I used to serve) has a public arts committee. Both of those could benefit.
• It would be a useful resource. maybe CALAA could, in addition, provide some public art training to communities? The problem with public art is "cookie cutter" approaches don't work, each site is different and, therefore, each project has different needs. The website should also supply a list of resources, such as insurance, fabricators, maintenance/restoration consultants, etc.
• we would find this survey because our city is just stepping into the public art arena. We completed some artworks in the early nineties and recently completed the only city sponsored public artwork in 2000.
• As a municipality, we would find it very valuable. We have a small budget each year that is rolled over to the next year if not used. Our staff time is also limited and it is difficult to maintain a database, especially when we traditionally have commissioned projects only every two to three years.
• Very beneficial, particularly in the area of constructive, not controlling, examples of community involvement.
• Would appreciate a survey to get a sense of what's out there and ideas to promote in our county
• Interesting but not to beneficial
• I, and my organization, would find such a survey beneficial. We have contemplated doing it ourselves (surveying only MTA) but haven't developed the scope yet.
• It depends on what type of information would be provided and whom it would be best suited (i.e., a start-up program, a program ready to break out on its own, separate from the Arts Commission, a program that has been around for 10 years, 20 years...), there are so many potential audiences. As a Public Art Manager for a start-up program I can say that technical formation as been the most vital for me (ordinances, master plans, networking, etc.). What I have needed the most help on is screenings and recommended language for communications with artists (do you tell them who won the commission?, do you provide feed back?, is a phone call or a letter the best way to inform them?, etc.), the basics. The fundamental operational questions/answers are vital to a start-up program, especially if the staff has not had 10 years working as a Public Art Administrator.
• Would be very interested in results as we are just beginning public art program and are still selling the "process" to elected officials, administration and community.
• Moderately beneficial. We would be interested in seeing the results as we like to draw from the experiences of others. However, we also create various aspects of our program and projects based on the specific needs of our community and supporting agencies.
• A survey would be of great assistance to the City of San Bernardino as we begin to fund Art in Public Places projects. This would give us good guidance.
• Very - we're an area that needs public arts policies but has none
• The survey would be of interest, with certain portions more beneficial than others (interviews with those who have commissioned works would be helpful as a learning tool).
• We don't have a currently active public art program in Fresno, we would be moderately interested in a survey.
• It would be an interesting reference and hopefully useable to leverage support for a public arts program locally. At this time, I would find information about how to start a public art program more useful, % for art ordinance info., etc.. primarily because there is very little public art in mendocino county and we are a relatively new agency.
• I suppose a statewide survey would be useful to show the breadth of the program, and its impact on the communities.
• It would be great to have a document listing public art in California. I'm a bit concerned about what is meant by an analysis of "which approaches worked well and which pieces were less successful" without knowing how you define those terms. Do you mean approaching the public? artists? Artists' approaches? And how do we define the "success" of an art work how well people like it? How many problems in creating it? How much controversy? If it was controversial at first and became beloved over time? Etc.
• I think we would find such a survey very interesting and helpful as we get more involved with public art. We are about to have a new county government center built and I have been working with architect, supervisors etc to be sure that public art is an integral part of the design plan.....so this should be good research material.

Would representatives of your organization be willing to participate in the public art survey?

• Yes (13)
• I would be willing to participate, if appropriate. (Consultant)
• I am the only full-time visual arts staff person and currently, am unable to take on any additional projects. If the time commitment is reasonable, then I would be interested in participating. Please contact me when you have defined the project further.
• If it’s not too time consuming the Arts Commission of Chico would (I believe) like to participate. We have only one part time staff person who is our sole art's coordinator.
• Participation depends on amount of time - we, like most public art programs, are extremely understaffed for the workload that we are trying to keep up with (100+ projects/$16million this year).
• Participation would depend on how much time that would take. There are other people I know who might want to participate, including some of the Richmond Arts & Culture Commission people, and some of the El Cerrito people (and some of the AC5 people).
• We may have some members of our Arts Committee who would participate
• Yes, my staff would be happy to participate in such a study
• We would certainly participate (but only public art I know of at this time is a mural on the chamber of commerce! Not too spiff!)
• We would be willing to participate--but would want to discuss the extent of such participation before committing.
• Don't know if we're what you're looking for, but would be willing to participate.
• I am sure organizations would be please to participate in this undertaking.
• Yes, but it won't be very useful since we don't have public or private public art policies yet.
• Yes, depending on required staff involvement (would need more details)
• Since we don't have a currently active program, we would not have anything significant to contribute to a survey.
• I'm not sure that i could participate due to a lack of public art in this county.
• I would be willing to answer a questionnaire about projects I have worked on.
• Yes, I have a board member who has an MA in public art from USC. I think she would be interested in participating. I will forward this to her.
• Since this county is not known for their public art to any degree, we would not be too beneficial as far as our involvement. We have just completed a great set of very large murals under a NEA grant and have a couple of privately funded murals to be done in the spring......