Receive and approve the Art Plan to establish public art at the new Walnut Park Branch Library and direct YoloArts to release a Request for Qualifications (RFQ). (No general fund impact) (Pistochini)

Receive and approve the Art Plan to establish public art at the new Walnut Park Branch Library (Attachment A); and direct YoloArts to release a Request for Qualifications (RFQ).

Walnut Park Branch Library- County of Yolo
Since 2001, the County-wide library facility plan has recognized the need for a library south of I-80 in Davis. As an interim solution, the South Davis Montgomery Branch has operated out of Marguerite Montgomery Elementary School for 4 hours twice a week since 2010. With the award of a Building Forward Grant from the California State Library in 2022 and a pledge of funds from the City of Davis in 2023 the Walnut Park, stand-alone, library will break ground in late 2024/early 2025.

The approximate 12,000 square-foot building, designed by WMB Architects, will feature a large community room, study rooms, children’s, young adult and adult collections, children’s areas indoor and out, and a teen space. Located in Walnut Park, the library will be adjacent to Marguerite Montgomery Elementary School, Peregrine School and the adjacent soccer fields, tennis courts and walking trails along Lillard Drive.

Management
Director of General Services, Ryan Pistochini, is the project manager for the Walnut Park Library project. Supervisors Jim Provenza and Angel Barajas are the Yolo County Board of Supervisors representatives on the Arts in Public Places Board committee.

An Art Advisory Committee has been formed for the project to provide recommendations on the Art Plan and aid in the selection process. YoloArts will serve as the advisor to identify, select and recommend potential public art enhancements for the project. YoloArts will serve as the liaison between the chosen artist(s) and the other various entities throughout the process.

Art Advisory Committee
The Committee members are:
Supervisor Jim Provenza
Supervisor Angel Barajas
Rachel Hartsough, City of Davis, Program Manager | Arts & Culture
Diana Lopez, Yolo County Library, County Librarian | Chief Archivist
Crista Cannariato, Yolo County Library, Yolo County Library, Library Regional Supervisor
Carrie Ceniseroz, Davis Friends of the Library | Logos Books Art Curator
Nora Brazil, Marguerite Montgomery Elementary School

Selection Process
The proposed art plan for the project is included as Attachment A. To enlist artists to be considered for the project, a Call for Artists will be distributed in the Western United States. The Call for Artists will describe the project and give artists necessary information to complete an application. The type of call to be used for this project will be a Request for Qualifications (RFQ). The RFQ process asks an artist to submit their qualifications as well as a concept abstract for the project. All complete submissions, meeting the basic requirements of the project, will be reviewed by the Art Advisory Committee. A group of 3-5 artists will be selected and paid a $750 stipend to provide site-specific proposals. Site- specific proposals will be made available to the Arts Advisory Committee and the community to provide input. The Arts Advisory Committee will review site-specific submissions and input from the community before making a final recommendation.

YoloArts in administering this project is interested in the highest quality of artwork that is site-specific and is aligned with the project criteria.

Locations for Public Art
Three publicly accessible areas of the facility have been identified by the Art Advisory Committee for public art enhancements within the budget guidelines of this project. These are considered the most suitable for placement of artwork to aesthetically enhance the project for the staff and visitors of the library.  (See Attachment A for diagram)

Criteria for Public Art
Thematic
The artwork(s) shall consider one or more of the following elements:

Artistic Merit
Consideration will be given to the overall quality of aesthetics of the artwork and the key factors:

Public art at the Walnut Park Library is a line item in the overall project budget.  Administration costs have been set aside for consulting fees to YoloArts to develop and carry out the Art Plan. The remaining $105,653, plus any additional contributions toward the project will be the amount allocated to pay for the selected artwork(s). The Art Advisory Committee intends to review qualifications and design proposals before determining the total number of pieces to be commissioned. Therefore, artists will be allowed to submit proposals amounting to less than the total budget.

Approval Process
Yolo County Board of Supervisors shall review this Art Plan for acceptance. Public input will be obtained at a regular meeting of the Board of Supervisors where the Art Plan will be considered. Upon approval of the Art Plan the County and YoloArts will enter into a contract. YoloArts will work in collaboration with the County and the Art Advisory Committee to administer the Art Plan.

Yolo County Library
Yolo County Arts Council dba YoloArts
Davis Friends of the Library
City of Davis
Marguerite Montgomery Elementary School
Yolo County Board of Supervisors, District 4
Yolo County Board of Supervisors, District 5

The public art selection will be performed in accordance with a public Request for Qualifications process outlined in the background section above.