City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Meeting Date: July 11, 2011 Item Number: _A-2
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM: Approval of (1) a Temporary Art Installation in
Conjunction with the 2011 IndieCade Festival and (2) a Professional Services
Agreement Between the City and the Selected Artist Related to the Installation.
Contact Person/Dept.:
Jeremy Green / Community Development
Phone Number:
(310)253-5764
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [X] No [] Date: 06/14/11
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas – City Council (07/07/11); (E-Mail)
Cultural Affairs Commission (6/29/11); (E-Mail) Stephanie Barish and Celia
Pearce/IndieCade (6/29/11); (E-Mail) Culver City DBA (6/29/11); (E-Mail) The Culver
Hotel (6/29/11); (E-Mail) Chamber of Commerce(6/29/11); (E-mail) John Derevlany
(6/29/11); (E-Mail) John Byers, Property Owner of 9718 Washington Blvd (6/29/11).
Department Approval:
Sol Blumenfeld (07/05/11)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Baker) (07/07/11)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir (by K. Marsden) (07/07/11)
City Manager Approval:
John Nachbar (07/07/11)
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council 1) approve a temporary art installation in
conjunction with the 2011 IndieCade Festival and 2) approve a professional services
agreement with the artist related thereto.
BACKGROUND:
The fourth annual IndieCade Festival is scheduled to take place in downtown Culver
City from October 6-9, 2011 and is comprised of multiple components at various
Culver City venues. This year’s Festival was allocated $10,000 by the City Council
and Agency Board at the meeting on April 11, 2011. IndieCade has been designated
as both a City- and Agency-sponsored event.
Last year, there were 500 dedicated conference attendees; festival attendance
reached a total of 5,000 over the three day period. For 2011, IndieCade’s goal is to
continue to attract a larger sector of the general public through new and various
marketing outlets.
Also last year, staff released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a temporary art
project to be installed in conjunction with the 2010 IndieCade Festival. The Cultrual City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Affairs Commission (CAC) approved the RFP with a maximum of $5,000 from the
Art Fund (Fund 413) for costs associated with coordination, fabrication, installation,
de-installation, and marketing of any approved artwork. From the received
proposals, the CAC recommended and the City Council approved on August 2,
2010, that CulverLand be the selected Temporary Art Project.
Due to the success of the installation and the publicity that it created for Culver City
and IndieCade, staff brought forth a second RFP for a temporary art installation in
conjunction with the 2011 IndieCade Festival to the CAC on March 8, 2011, for
which a maximum amount of $8,000 was approved from the Art Fund (Fund 413)
for costs associated with coordination, fabrication, installation, de-installation, and
promotion of the temporary art installation.
The RFP was sent out on April 7, 2011 with a deadline for proposals to be
submitted directly to IndieCade by May 12, 2011, at which time four proposals had
been submitted.
Dr. Katherine Milton, Director of Learning and Innovation at the Minneapolis Institute
of Arts, convened the panel of experts in the field of gaming to review each proposal
and make a recommendation to the CAC’s Public Art Sub-committee (Vice Chair
Koosed and Commissioner Marlyn Musicant). The panel members were: Dr. Celia
Pearce, Mr. John Derevlany, Mr. Steve Dietz and Dr. Milton. Biographical
information on each panelist is attached (Attachment 2.)
The panel reviewed each entry based on the following criteria:
• Is the proposal suitable for the IndieCade Festival?
• Will the piece enhance the public space and experience of the Festival?
• What are the merits of the proposal as artwork?
• Would the piece hold its own in a public art context?
• Are there any public safety or other issues?
On Thursday, May 19, the panel identified their top proposal choice, Invaded by
Jason Torchinsky.
DISCUSSION:
Invaded is a series of 4-6 large (8’x10’x3’) sculptures that extends throughout Town
Plaza and/or other pedestrian spaces in downtown Culver City depicting the iconic
alien game pieces from Space Invaders, originally created by Tatio in 1978.
The panel in particular liked that this piece was low-tech, visually striking, interactive,
instantly recognizable, and would draw attention to the Festival, engaging festival
attendees as well as passersby. There were some concerns about safety of people
climbing on the structures, as well as ensuring the security of the pieces. City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Recommendations to weight or anchor the pieces were suggested. Since the
recommendation, the artist has been researching stability measures, the results of
which are listed in the construction and installation paragraph below.
The CAC Public Art Sub-committee concurred with the IndieCade panel. They found
Invaded fun, engaging, simple, and well articulated. They also felt that the
“creatures” could be enjoyed by everybody for an extended period of time, the
display had a 24/7 appeal, and that one wouldn’t need to know the history of
graphics in the 1970s in order to enjoy the piece. Finally, the Sub-committee felt that
the concept would stand alone as public art even after the IndieCade Festival
concluded. Invaded fulfills the RFP requirements and is the most appropriate
installation for IndieCade.
During the meeting the Sub-committee requested the following:
• That the artist include a provision for ensuring that the proposed materials and
finishes are durable for all types of weather including rain, sun and wind; and
• That the artist install at least 4 sculptures (and more if possible)
At the CAC meeting on June 14, 2011, the Commissioners recommended that
Invaded be approved by the City Council as the Temporary Art installation in
conjunction with the 2011 IndieCade Festival and further discussed the safety and
the durability of the pieces to be built.
Construction and Installation of Art Work:
Should the installation be approved by the City Council, the art work would be
placed in the public right-of-way throughout downtown Culver City, including several
throughout Town Plaza, and possibly additional locations including the corner of
Washington and Culver near the Starbucks, and on Culver Boulevard, east of the
Culver Hotel (site of last year’s CulverLand.) The material of choice is wood, which
will be sanded and painted with a durable and permanent paint, in the same manner
that wood furniture would be finished. Public Works staff is in the process of
determining the specific conditions related to the installation and de-installation of
the art.
To ensure stability of the sculptures, the artist will build the pieces based on the
Hong Kong stagecraft builders ratio of 1:3 for the base to the height of each
structure. The dimensions of each will be approximately 110” wide x 80" tall by 36"
deep (9'x6.5'x3). The sculptures will also be weighted internally with sandbags so
that they each weigh 150 lbs. for additional strength and security.
An agreement will be entered into between the artist and the City acknowledging
that the art work is temporary, and that the City would not be responsible for loss or
damage to the art work during installation. The agreement will also include a hold
harmless clause and require evidence of liability insurance coverage. City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
$8,000 was approved from the $57,635 budgeted for FY 2010/2011 from the Art
Fund for Temporary Art Displays & Exhibits (41300676). Of the $8,000, $500 will be
paid to IndieCade for costs associated with the RFP process and for convening the
review panel. Another $1,000 will be provided to a contractor to document the
artistic process and provide marketing and publicity specifically for the artwork.
While the proposal budget for Invaded is currently $5,700, staff believes it likely that
the artist may expend the remaining $800 budgeted for this effort
ATTACHMENTS:
1. RFP
2. IndieCade Public Art panel bios
3. Invaded proposal
MOTION:
That the City Council:
1. Approve Invaded as the selected Temporary Art Installation in conjunction
with the 2011 IndieCade Festival; and,
2. Approve a Professional Services Agreement with the selected artist in an
amount not to exceed $6,500; and,
3. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare the necessary documents; and,
4. Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City.
MEETING DATE: July 11, 2011
AGENDA ITEM: Consideration of a Temporary Art Installation in
Conjunction with the 2011 IndieCade Festival.
ATTACHMENTS
Pages
1. RFP 1-3
2. IndieCade Public Art panel bios 4-5
3. Invaded proposal 6-10
Request for Proposals (RFP) for a temporary art installation SUBMIT TO: ART@INDIECADE.COM
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)
for a
TEMPORARY ART INSTALLATION
The City of Culver City is seeking submission of proposals for a game-themed temporary art installation
in conjunction with the 2011 IndieCade International Festival of Independent Games to be held October
6- 9, 2011 in Downtown Culver City. Proposals may be for existing artwork or for artwork specifically
created for this installation. The objective is to help increase the number of visitors to the event by at-
tracting a larger audience through an art component.
IndieCade is an alliance of industry producers and leaders, founded in 2005 by Creative Media Colla-
borative, which supports independent game development. IndieCade strives to maintain the artistry in
the entertainment software (computer and video games) industry, a $25 billion industry worldwide. The
art which made computer and video games so compelling, has become its own artistic genre and indus-
try. For more information on IndieCade, please visit www.indiecade.com
The heart of Downtown Culver City is located at the intersection of Washington and Culver Boulevards,
just off the 10 Fwy. Downtown is a pedestrian-friendly area that includes a plaza, historically significant
sites such as The Culver Studios and The Culver Hotel, and many restaurants and shops. (For more in-
formation on Culver City, please visit www.culvercity.org) IndieCade events will take place in multiple
restaurants, art galleries, production studios, theaters, parks and other venues in or near Downtown
Culver City.
Possible Project Sites, Visibility & Materials
All artwork must be publicly visible ten hours a day, seven
days per week. If art is to be installed on private property,
the artist must obtain written permission from the property
owner and include this in his or her submission. All media
will be considered as long as it is durable enough to with-
stand the elements for a minimum of one week prior to and
through the Festival and no longer than three months.
Several installation options for temporary art exist in and
around Downtown Culver City, including:
o Parking structures
o Town Plaza
o Various building facades
o Media Park
o Store fronts
o Sidewalks
ATTACHMENT 1
1
Request for Proposals (RFP) for a temporary art installation SUBMIT TO: ART@INDIECADE.COM
Installation/De-installation and Insurance
The artist assumes the cost for installation and de-installation and responsibility for coordination of the
same. The artist shall insure the artwork against loss/damage during transportation, installation/de-
installation, as well as liability. In addition, an agreement with the City of Culver City will be required.
IndieCade will work with the selected artist to coordinate these and other details.
Submission Requirements
The deadline for submissions is 5 PM on Monday, May 9, 2011. Submissions are to be made electroni-
cally to ART@INDIECADE.COM.
Each submission must include the following:
• Resume or CV
• References: Address, telephone and e-mail contact information for two professional
references qualified to speak to your design achievements and performance
• Short narrative of concept and description of materials (minimum of 1-2 paragraphs,
maximum of 1 page)
• Jpgs at 200-300 dpi each with a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 5 images of your
design concept (do not include multiple images or views onto one jpg file) and a
minimum of 2 and a maximum of 5 images of previous work.
• Image list: Include image number, title, medium, dimensions, date, location, client
and brief written description of each image (25 words or less).
• Detailed fee schedule
• Detailed timeline for design, fabrication, and installation
Budget/Timeline
The total funding available for this project is $6,500. In addition, a small stipend will be provided to
IndieCade for coordination.
The City of Culver City reserves the right to cancel or postpone the project or otherwise not select any
artist for this project. Submission materials will not be returned and become the property of the City of
Culver City an will become part of the public record.
2
Request for Proposals (RFP) for a temporary art installation SUBMIT TO: ART@INDIECADE.COM
Selection Process
A panel of industry experts will review all qualified submissions and make a recommendation to Culver
City’s Cultural Affairs Commission of up to three art proposals for further consideration. The Culver
City Cultural Affairs Commission (“CAC”) will consider the panel’s recommendations and made a rec-
ommendation to the City Council who make the final decision. Exact dates for the CAC and City Coun-
cil meeting will be determined in the near future.
Tentative dates are as follows:
Tuesday, June 14, 2011 – Culver City Cultural Affairs Commis-
sion considers panel’s recommendations.
July, 2011 – City Council/Redevelopment Agency considers
CAC’s recommendation and makes final decision.
Criteria for Selection
Submissions will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
• Design: Proposed design, including:
o Overall artistic merit
o Relevancy to IndieCade Festival and appropriateness
for Culver City site
• Fee schedule: Reasonable not-to-exceed fee.
• Timeline: Realistic fabrication and installation timeline to
ensure completion and installation at least one week before
the start of the Festival.
For questions, please contact:
Jeremy Green
Management Analyst
City of Culver City
(310) 253-5764
jeremy.green@culvercity.org
3INDIECADE TEMPORARY ART INSTALLATION
REVIEW PANELIST BIOGRAPHIES
Steve Dietz
Steve Dietz is a new media curator and director of ISEA 2006 Symposium ZeroOne
San Jose International Festival of Art and Technology; 1996–2003 he was curator of
new media at Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, where he founded the
New Media Initiatives department, the online art Gallery 9, and the digital art study
collection; he also co-founded, with the Minneapolis Institute of Arts the award-winning
educational site ArtsConnectEd, and the artist community site mnartists.org with the
McKnight Foundation; prior to the Walker Art Center, Dietz was founding Chief of
Publications and New Media Initiatives at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and
editor of the scholarly journal, American Art. Dietz has organized and curated many new
media exhibitions, including some of the first online exhibitions «Beyond Interface: net
art and Art on the Net» (1998); «Shock of the View: Artists, Audiences, and Museums in
the Digital Age» (1999); the traveling exhibition «Telematic Connections: The Virtual
Embrace» (2000–2002) for Independent Curators International; «Translocations»
(2003), part of «How Latitudes Become Forms» at the Walker Art Center; «Database
Imaginary» (2004) Walter Phillips Gallery, Banff Centre; curator of the section «Public
Sphere_s» for «Media Art Net» in conjunction with the ZKM exhibition «Making Things
Public» (2005). ? http://www.northernspark.org
Dr. Katherine Milton
Katherine Milton’s experience in arts administration, education, and writing spans more
than two decades. Specializing in educational media, she has worked extensively with
multi-disciplinary artists, developing culture-specific educational materials for classroom
teachers that both demonstrate thematic constructs towards teaching cultural
information, as well as integrating the art-making process into the standard curriculum.
Dr. Milton holds a Ph.D. from the College of Education at Arizona State University
focusing on Educational Media and Computers. She is coauthor/editor with Dr. Lizbeth
Goodman of A Guide to Good Practice In Collaborative Working Methods and New
Media Tools Creation.In 2004 she became the founding director of The Aesthetic
Technologies Lab of Ohio University’s College of Fine Arts – a center for
interdisciplinary research and collaboration at the frontiers of fine arts practice,
curriculum development, and digital leadership. She is currently the Director of Learning
and Innovation at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. http://everkath.wordpress.com
ATTACHMENT 2
4 Dr. Celia Pearce
Celia Pearce is a game designer, author, researcher, teacher, curator and artist,
specializing in multiplayer gaming and virtual worlds, independent, art, and alternative
game genres, as well as games and gender. She began designing interactive
attractions and exhibitions in 1983, and has held academic appointments since 1998.
Her game designs include the award-winning virtual reality attraction Virtual Adventures
(for Iwerks and Evans & Sutherland) and the Purple Moon Friendship Adventure Cards
for Girls. She received her Ph.D. in 2006 from SMARTLab Centre, then at Central Saint
Martins College of Art and Design, University of the Arts London. She currently is
Assistant Professor of Digital Media in the School of Literature, Communication and
Culture at Georgia Tech, where she also directs the Experimental Game Lab and the
Emergent Game Group. She is the author or co-author of numerous papers and book
chapters, as well as The Interactive Book (Macmillan 1997) and Communities of Play:
Emergent Cultures in Multiplayer Games and Virtual Worlds (MIT 2009). She has also
curated new media, virtual reality, and game exhibitions and is currently Festival Chair
for IndieCade, an international independent games festival and showcase series. She is
a co-founder of the Ludica women’s game collective. http://cpandfriends.com/?cat=8
John Derevlany
John Derevlany is a TV writer, artist, animator, game designer, transmedia producer,
and the creator of last year’s winning game CULVERLAND, who lives in Culver City,
CA, with his wife and two kids. Derevlany has written for more than 80 TV shows, and
created or developed long-running programs such as "Gerald McBoing Boing,"
"Wayside," "Monster Buster Club," and "Jim Henson's Animal Jam." Future TV projects
include "Lexi L8R," a live-action TV show that is simultaneously "broadcast" to viewers
via SMS (text) messaging. Derevlany is also developing a series of real world and
electronic games that are driven by environmental game mechanics (such as traffic,
weather, insects, pedestrian behavior, etc.). CULVERLAND is the first of these games
to be produced. The game is inspired by simple gameplay and a love for Culver City.
For more information, please see his main home page at mycomputerhatesme.com
5ATTACHMENT 3
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