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CC - CONSENT ITEM: (1) Appointment of Artist Sonia Romero for the Art Component of the Farragut Connector Project Based on Recommendation from the Cultural Affairs Commission; and (2) Approval of an Agreement with Sonia Romero for Completion of the Art Component for the Farragut Connector Project in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $60,000.
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Meeting Date: September 23, 2024
Contact Person/Dept: Sally Unsworth / Sam Lee, Office of Economic and Cultural Development
Phone Number: (310) 253-6003
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Attachments: Yes [X] No []
Public Notification: (Email) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (09/17/2024); Meetings and Agendas- Cultural Affairs Commission (09/17/2024)
Department Approval: Jesse Mays, Assistant City Manager (09/03/2024)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council (1) appoint Sonia Romero as the selected artist for the art component of the Farragut Connector (aka Snicket) Project as recommended the Cultural Affairs Commission (CAC); and (2) approve an agreement with Sonia Romero for the completion of the art component of the Project in an amount not-to-exceed $60,000.
BACKGROUND
On June 27, 2022, the City Council approved the demolition of the existing Farragut path and rebuilding of a new concrete one. The Farragut Snicket, also known as the Farragut Connector, is a pedestrian passageway that extends access along Farragut Avenue from Jasmine Avenue to Jackson Avenue. The Farragut Connector is believed to be in the vicinity of a former entryway and ticket booth for a horse and automobile speedway. Cultural Affairs staff was assigned the task to create and install a tribute within the Farragut Connector. One tribute being studied is painting one or more murals on the smooth concrete wall that separates the City’s property from the 4201 Jackson Avenue residence.
In October 2023, Public Works and Cultural Affairs Division began to work on fulfilling the goals of the Farragut Connector project (“the Project”). One goal was to seek a visual artist to create an art installation as the art component for the Project. The overview and guidelines for the art component was developed by Cultural Affairs staff and reviewed with input from the Cultural Affairs Public Art Subcommittee of the Cultural Affairs Commission (CAC) (Brenda Williams and Ehsaan Mesghali). The two-phase artist selection process for the art component was launched in February 2024 and was completed on July 10, 2024.
DISCUSSION
The project overview and guidelines were reviewed with input from the CAC Cultural Affairs Public Art Subcommittee (CAC Chair Brenda Williams and Commissioner Ehsaan Mesghali).
An independent artist selection committee was recruited to review both the Request for Qualification and the Request for Proposal applications. The panel comprises two community stakeholders and one distinguished professional in the relevant artist discipline:
• Josephine Lauria Fargo - a former LACMA curator of decorative arts and now an independent curator
• Greg Maron - Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee member
• Christopher Mejia - 4201 Jackson Avenue resident, directly adjacent the Farragut Connector
The process of selecting the winning artist started in February 2024 and was completed in two-phases: 1) Request for Qualifications (RFQ), and 2) Request for Proposal (RFP). Outreach for the Request for Qualifications stage included the City’s several GovDelivery e-blasts reaching over 2,500 recipients, as well as related social media postings.
For the RFQ phase, the Cultural Affairs Division had invited professional visual artists or artist teams who live or work in Culver City and throughout the Los Angeles County to submit their credentials for consideration. Eleven artists responded by the deadline, which was 11:59pm, Monday, April 1, 2024. The artist selection committee reviewed the eleven submissions and chose three finalists out of the eleven to compete for the commission in the second and final stage through the RFP process. The three artists were afforded the opportunity to develop their original art concept specific to the art location of the Farragut Connector passageway. The deadline for the three submissions was on Monday, June 17, 2024.
On Wednesday, July 10, 2024, the three finalists presented their original art concept to Cultural Affairs staff, the Cultural Affairs Commission Chair, and the Artist Selection Committee. In attendance at the panel meeting on Wednesday, July 10 were the three-panel members; CAC Public Art Subcommittee Chair Brenda Williams; Sally Unsworth, Cultural Affairs Manager; Sam Lee, Public Art Associate; and, Lee Lawlor, Performing Arts Associate. Commissioner Ehsaan Mesghali was absent but did provide feedback via email.
Each voting reviewer scored all three applications and ranked them in the order from highest to lowest. The CAC Public Art Subcommittee was non-voting but reviewed the applications by providing feedback.
In the 2nd and final stage, the three applications were scored by the following criteria:
• Artistic Technique & Quality - 35 points total
• Community Impact of the Design - 35 points total
• Durability of Design Concept Materials - 20 points total
• Appropriateness of Cost/Budget - 10 points total
Each of the three finalists provided a 45-minute presentation/interview, followed by questions from the panel, staff, and Subcommittee Chair. At the conclusion of the panel meeting, the three reviewers voted Sonia Romero as the best suited artist based on her original art concept, presentation, and qualifications. The selection committee unanimously agreed that Romero’s idea was the most appropriate and encompassing, capturing the diverse histories and elements of the neighborhood. The subcommittee supported the selection panel’s recommendation.
Sonia Romero
Sonia Romero is a visual artist who lives and works in Los Angeles. She received a BFA in ceramics from Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, Rhode Island. To date, Romero has completed 15 combined permanent and temporary public art projects throughout Southern California. Her works have been exhibited in numerous solo and group exhibitions and are in the permanent collection of museums throughout the United States.
On August 20, 2024, at the regular meeting of the Cultural Affairs Commission, the CAC received a presentation and voted to recommend Sonia Romero as the artist for the Farragut Connector project.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
The Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 includes $60,000 of funding for the proposed agreement in Account No. 413.80000.730100.PO014 (CIP - Artwork Farragut Connector) which can be found in the Capital Improvements section of the budget book under Fund 413 (Cultural Arts Trust Fund).
ATTACHMENT
1. 2024-09-23_CC_ATT_Sonia Romero Farragut Connector
MOTIONS
That the City Council:
1. Appoint Sonia Romero as the Selected Artist for the Art Component of the Farragut Connector Project as Recommended by the Cultural Affairs Commission; and
2. Approve an agreement with Sonia Romero to complete the art component of the Project in an amount not-to-exceed $60,000; 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.