How Do We Get Public Art?

It’s Art Week on Moving SF! We’ve transformed 50 Muni buses into galleries on wheels, showcasing the work of local artists throughout the city. We’re celebrating by dedicating blog posts this week to art and artists (with a transportation twist).

You may have seen the public art proposal for Van Ness Avenue that the San Francisco Arts Commission unveiled earlier this month. Artist Jorge Pardo’s proposal calls for three large, illuminated steel sculptures that would be installed at the ends of bus platforms on Van Ness at Market, Sutter and Union streets. 

The proposal got us wondering—how do we get public art?

According to the San Francisco Arts Commission, funding is provided by an Arts Enrichment Ordinance that allocates two percent of new civic construction costs to purchase or commission public art. Once funding is in place, the San Francisco Arts Commission can begin acquiring public art for the city.

In the case of the Van Ness Corridor Transit Improvement Project, the San Francisco Arts Commission made a national call for artists in July of 2012 to “commission a series of significant, museum caliber sculptures for permanent installation.” After reviewing proposals from three selected artists, a public selection panel recommended Pardo’s for the project.

Now, the San Francisco Arts Commission is inviting the public to provide comment on Jorge Pardo’s proposal. The San Francisco Arts Commission will issue final approval. Once fabricated, the sculptures will be installed after the completion of construction, expected 2018.

Those interested in making public comment on the Jorge Pardo proposal for Van Ness Avenue may do so at the Visual Arts Committee meeting at 401 Van Ness Avenue, Room 125, on October 21 at 3 p.m. during the Public Comment Period. You may also email your comments to Zoë Taleporos, Public Art Program Associate at zoe.taleporos@sfgov.org, or mail or hand deliver comments to 25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 345. All comments are due by 5 p.m. on October 20, 2015.