Purpose
The Southwest Virginia Community College Committee on Public Art encourages and oversees the installation of art in public spaces around the campus, and works to educate the College community about the value of art in public spaces. This committee is comprised of student, faculty, and staff members whose responsibility it is to create a welcoming environment for people passing through public spaces, to stimulate conversation about art among community members, to challenge perceptions of art, and to illuminate diverse cultures. It also advises those individuals and departments responsible for works of public art on campus.
Definition of Public Art
The committee is guided by the following definition of public art: art objects placed in a public, shared, and/or an accessible space. Moreover, the committee recognizes that as an institution of learning, the visual arts are central to aesthetic and intellectual development, and opportunities should be made for creative expression. Works of art may be 1) temporary, semi-permanent, or permanent; 2) created by students, faculty, staff, or professional artists; 3) installed inside the KCC Art Gallery, Booth Center Art Gallery, Appalachian Arts Center or other designated areas on campus; either inside or outside.
Charge of the Committee
All works of art in public spaces must relate to the academic, intellectual, or aesthetic life of the College, and meet the professional criteria and requirements set forth by the Committee on Public Art. The committee will make recommendations to the senior staff concerning 1)petitions from members of the College community to install works of art; 2) donations of works of public art to the College; and 3) the inclusion of works of public art on campus or at off-campus sites.
Categories of Public Art
- Expressive works of art.
- Works of memory.
- Works of art by Southwest students.
- College community artworks.
- Functional works of art
- Installation art.
- Local artisans works of arts and/or crafts.
Art Media May Include
- Gardens, including fountains and seating.
- Sculpture.
- Paintings and Murals.
- Sketches.
- Graphic arts, prints, and drawings.
- Photography.
- Video and electronic media.
- Objects in clay, fiber, textiles, wood, metal, plastic, and other material.
- Mixed or conceptual media, including collage.
Composition of the Standing Committee
- Senior Art Instructor
- Art Installation Coordinator
- Director of Appalachian Arts Center
- Other faculty member, nominated by Faculty Senate
- Staff member, nominated by PSSA
Operating Procedures for the Public Art Committee
The Public Art Committee will consider the audience for such works to be the entire College community and will take into account the mission of the institution, which will be reflected in the acquisition, siting, and interpretation process. Works of art will be acquired for exhibition in public places following the guidelines established by the Public Art Committee for its collection.
Distinctive works of art chosen, acquired or created for the public spaces on the campus (or at off-campus sites) will represent a broad range of artistic styles and be of sufficiently high quality to merit their inclusion in the College’s permanent collection.
All works will be reviewed for site specifications, functions of the site, primary users of the site, site-specific maintenance, and safety questions, and appropriateness of a loan or permanent placement. Loans of works to be exhibited in public places will be considered, especially as they allow for experimental and challenging works to be shown.
The Public Art Committee will be fiscally responsible in accepting works for loan exhibition, reviewing financial and legal obligations regarding the acquisition of art, artist fees, travel costs, transportation of work, site preparation, signage, potential repair and restoration costs, insurance and security costs and costs for an educational program designed around the work and for publicity to introduce the work to the community. A procedure for the exhibition of works of public art and loan will be established before the loan is accepted.
Authority of the Committee
The Public Art Committee advises the Vice President of Institutional Advancement who will, in turn, advise the Senior Staff on matters relating to the installation of art in public spaces. The final decision on the disposition of public art rests with the Senior Staff.
- The Committee recommends policies to guide the Office of Development in accepting gifts of art.
- The Committee recommends policies for the security and care of public art objects.
- The Committee recommends policies for dealing with proposals for the siting of art in public locations on campus.
- The Committee makes recommendations to the Vice President of Institutional Advancement (and Senior Staff) to accept or deny a proposed art installation.
- The Committee encourages the inclusion of public art in major renovations or new construction of campus buildings.
- The Committee oversees the proper signage of works of public art.
- The Committee oversees annual inspection of works of public art.
- The Committee ensures safekeeping of permanent art collection for Southwest.
Methods of Selection/Acquisition
The following types of acquisitions are to be made in consultation with the Public Art Committee:
- Donation: A work of Public Art is donated to the College or Educational Foundation in consultation with the Public Art Committee.
- Direct Selection: An individual artist is chosen by the committee either to be purchased or commissioned.
- Student artists: A student working with a faculty advisor proposes an installation of work connected to his or her academic program.
- Community-based project: Members of the College community and/or campus organizations enlist an artist to work with the college and local community members to create a work of art on/for the campus.
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