A THAT Council authorize the Director of Legal Services, in consultation with the
Managing Director of Cultural Services and Risk Management, to prepare and execute
an agreement between the City and the Vancouver Art Gallery Association (the “VAG”)
for the delivery and management of a public art program involving the ongoing display
of temporary exhibits at the public art site located in 1100 block of West Georgia
Street; on such terms and conditions satisfactory to the director of Legal Services and
as set out in Appendix “A” to this report; and
B. That Council authorize payment for the public art program described in
Recommendation “A” at an annual estimated cost of $200,000 to be funded from the
Shangri-La Public Art Endowment fund and from revenues derived from certain
Shangri-la encroachments fees.
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of Recommendations A
and B.
COUNCIL POLICY
City Council adopted the Public Art Program for Civic and Private Development in 1990. In
1994, Council established interest-bearing Reserves to fund public art commissions and
maintenance. In 1995, Council approved a dedicated Library Square Public Art Reserve to
fund on-going public art programming at Library Square.
PURPOSE
This report seeks Council’s authorization to enter into an agreement with Vancouver Art
Gallery to provide public art programming at the Public Art Site at the Shangri-la
development at 1100 West Georgia St. Funding will be provided by a City Reserve (the
Shangri-La Public Art Endowment) contributed by the developer.
BACKGROUND
The Shangri-La development at 1100 West Georgia is a major rezoning approved by Council on
November 20, 2003. As part of a package of public amenities, the developer, Westbank
Properties, agreed to provide, equip, and maintain a major public art site and a public rightof-
way between West Georgia and Alberni Streets. The total artwork exhibition area is
estimated to be 2,429.2 m² (26,148 sq. ft.). The developer also agreed to provide funds
sufficient to program the site with on-going installations of professionally curated public
artworks, intended to engage a broad public.
DISCUSSION
The design of the Public Art Site was developed in concert with the Vancouver Art Gallery. It
is equipped with special paving, a projector, a screen, anchor ties, and it has the capacity to
be flooded. The passageway between Georgia and Alberni, and a landscaped passageway up
to a second-level roof garden, provide additional exhibition areas. Public access to these
areas is secured by statutory right-of-way which together, provide a variety of spaces to
exhibit artworks that animate the surrounding urban context and explore contemporary art
issues.
Vancouver Art Gallery’s input to the design and set-up of the public art site, added to its
knowledge of artists and expertise in public art, recommend that institution’s nomination as
the first contracted programmer of the site. Appendix A contains the draft terms of a fiveyear
renewable agreement with the Gallery to implement a public art exhibition program at
an estimated annual cost of $200,000.
In late 2008, coincident with the development’s completion, the Gallery will initiate the first
program of temporary public art installations. Up to three projects per year are anticipated in
the main space with additional projects installed in the other exhibition areas on an
occasional basis. The artwork will be commissioned by the Gallery from local, national, and
international artists, and selected on the basis of artistic quality, innovation, relationship to
the site, and diversity of ideas. Preference will be given to new works that respond to the site
and its configuration, but existing works will also be considered.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
All operations at the Public Art Site—programming, site maintenance, insurance, etc.--will be
funded by proceeds from the Shangri-La Public Art Endowment/Reserve provided by the
developer. In all, a Reserve of $2.4 million—the development’s public art budget of $631,750
added to a cash contribution of $1,768,250--was provided. This Reserve currently generates
approximately $96,000 per year. Other funds and benefits secured by agreement with the
developer provide annual encroachment fees of $112,500, and in-kind accommodation for
visiting artists (provided by the on-site hotel). All together, these funds provide an annual
operating budget currently in excess of $200,000 per year. All Public Art Site operations and
costs will be funded by this budget.
In addition to providing the public art endowment, the developer will spend an estimated
$2,311,000 to construct and equip the site.
CONCLUSION
The realization of the Shangri-La public art site—a place for the temporary display of public
artworks that explore contemporary art issues in new and traditional media, at no cost to the
City--fulfills a long-standing ambition of Vancouver’s arts community. Since the public art
program’s adoption in 1990, successive public art committees, artists, architects, and
members of the public have sought this kind of opportunity. In its June 16, 2003, review of
the proposed site the Public Art Committee resolved:
“THAT the Public Art Committee enthusiastically recommends the creation of the
sculpture garden [Public Art Site] at 1120 West Georgia Street, and thanks the
developer, the architect, the Vancouver Art Gallery, City Council and staff for their
imaginative achievement of this longstanding need."
Vancouver Art Gallery’s internationally respected curatorial resources offer a quality public
art program to Vancouver’s increasingly sophisticated audience for contemporary public art.
Staff recommend execution of an agreement with the Vancouver Art Gallery for the provision
of public art services which will ensure ongoing temporary exhibits at the Public Art Site at
1100 West Georgia that will animate and enliven the City.
Terms of Agreement for the Shangri-La Public Art Site Public Art Program
Purpose:
• The Public Art program is to provide a series of one to three temporary public artwork
installations annually to be curated by the Vancouver Art Gallery at the Public Art
Site.
Public Art Site:
• Publicly accessible, outdoor area at grade at 1111 Georgia Street (Lot G Block 18
District Lot 185 Plan LMP1597) as defined in the Agreement dated October 20, 2004
between the Developer and the City of Vancouver, the “Public Art Site”.
Term:
• Five years commencing January 1, 2008. Twelve months prior to the expiration of the
term, and based on a review of the services and financial viability of a future program,
the Vancouver Art Gallery may request a subsequent term which will be considered by
City Council.
Curatorial Services:
• The Vancouver Art Gallery will be responsible for the complete coordination and
management of the Public Art Site program, with a changing series of one or three
public art installations annually including:
• engaging artists,
• scheduling art installations,
• paying artists and all production costs,
• arranging artist accommodation,
• providing liaison between the artist and the Owner or property manager to
arrange, as needed, installation and exhibition requirements such as
electricity, projector use, illumination, sound, anchoring, the provision or
removal of water from the water feature, site storage, site preparation
including alteration or removal of landscaping and site restoration including
restoration or replacement of landscaping,
• risk management reviews, and providing suitable and adequate insurance,
• overseeing artwork installation, exhibition, and removal,
• maintenance and repairs as required
• coordinating exhibition openings, publicity, and documentation,
• providing such services and oversight as a professional and prudent steward of
the public art and related public sites might reasonably be expected to
perform.
Sorry for the crappy formatting, in a rush and didn't have time to fix.
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