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In May of last year, Public Art Chattanooga launched a strategic planning process, CHA Creates: A Public Art Vision. Through one on one conversations, focus groups, input sessions and an online survey, our consultant team gathered feedback and listened to our community's hopes for the future of public art in Chattanooga.

Consultants, Gail Goldman and Barbara Goldstein, presented the 2019 Public Art Strategic Plan to City Council on February 12. Council proceeded to vote 8-1 adopting the plan on February 19.

Curious about the objectives of the 2019 Public Art Strategic Plan? Review the plan brief below which includes an overview, vision, guiding principles and action plan highlights.

View the complete 2019 Public Art Strategic Plan.

PLAN BRIEF

OVERVIEW

The 2019 Public Art Strategic Plan responds to the different perspectives we heard from Chattanoogans about what constitutes public art, its purpose, and the growing demand for public art to address specific community concerns. Chattanoogans strongly value and support public art, and they look to the City to provide equitable access and opportunity to experience it -- adding meaning, beauty, connection and dialogue to daily public life. informed by this input, the plan prioritizes placemaking and community empowerment by integrating art and artists into the way the City builds itself through capital construction and neighborhood projects. Also, acknowledging the tremendous role public art has played in the transformation of Chattanooga, the plan establishes a clear tie to the city’s economic development initiatives.

Building on the rich history of Chattanooga’s public/private partnerships, the plan allows the City to assume a more prominent role in driving the vision for Chattanooga’s public art -- taking the lead in its planning and funding, while forging a balanced partnership with the private sector by leveraging City capital and operating budgets.

Finally, the plan offers a ten-year action plan with specific recommendations for how Public Art Chattanooga can support multi-sector public art efforts while proactively taking the lead to integrate art into City-funded capital projects and neighborhood initiatives.

PLAN VISION

Public art helps define Chattanooga by enhancing the public realm, stimulating dialogue, and building community.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Chattanoogans believe that public art has the power to:

    • Provide equitable access to a diversity of artists and artistic experiences.
    • Celebrate our communities’ cultural assets, highlighting the unique character of our neighborhoods, honoring their histories, and preserving quality of place.
    • Elevate the role the artist and the creative process plays in connecting people and place.
    • Encourage multi-disciplinary collaboration in the public and private sectors to create vibrant public spaces.
    • Express Chattanooga’s identity through the built environment.

ACTION PLAN HIGHLIGHTS

PLACEMAKING

  • Early artist engagement for site-integrated artworks in City infrastructure projects.
  • Identify locations where community-based public art can be integrated into ongoing citywide urban design efforts.
  • Recruit local artists to collaborate with residents and businesses to enhance neighborhood character in underserved communities.
  • Budget Policy and Capital Improvement Project (CIP) guidelines that allocate a percentage of the City’s overall above-ground CIP budget for integrated public art.

COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT

  • Opportunities for local and regional artists (creative engagement, residencies, training and mentorships).
  • Prioritize projects in neighborhoods that lack public art and in low income neighborhoods identified for streetscape improvements.
  • Roster of local and regional artists who have an interest in and track record of, working with community groups.
  • Artist-in-residencies with a goal of creating deep engagement within communities to identify locations and goals for public art projects in their neighborhoods.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

  • Training tools and streamlined review procedures for private and non-profit organizations who initiate and manage art on both private and public property.
  • Toolkit of resources for interested partners and developers reflecting best practices and industry standards on public art project implementation.
  • Roster of local artists who can participate in Neighborhood Reinvestment Fund projects for façade improvements, street furniture, and other placemaking amenities.

OPERATIONAL OBJECTIVES

  • Equitable geographic distribution of artworks, increasing access to public art city-wide.
  • Stable source of funding to staff Public Art Chattanooga, maintain the public art collection and commission new works.
  • Continue strong partnerships between the local government, businesses, private developers, and foundations.
  • Policies that adequately address the growth of the collection and its ongoing maintenance.

 

Thank you to all the Chattanoogans who joined us for a focus group or input session to provide insight and inspiration!

 

32 Interviews

6 Focus Groups

1 Round Table Discussion

2 Community Input Sessions with Mayor Berke

2 Advisory Committee Meetings

6 Community Presentations

3 Awareness Building Events

222 Surveys Collected!

Local Artists | Focus Group
with Chattanooga Workspace
Friday, June 8, 11:30 - 1:00PM
Chattanooga Workspace, 302 W 6th Street

Social Change Leaders | Focus Group
with Causeway
Wednesday, July 18, 8:30 - 10:00AM
 Causeway, 16 Patten Parkway

Business Leaders | Focus Group
with Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce
Wednesday, July 18, 3:00 - 4:30PM

Urban Design Professionals | Focus Group
with Chattanooga Design Studio
Thursday, July 19, 12:00 - 1:30PM
Miller Plaza, Waterhouse Pavilion

Community Input Session
with Mayor Andy Berke
Thursday, July 19, 5:30 - 7:30PM
SPOT Venue,  3214 Brainerd Rd

Art & Innovation in the Public Realm
with Future Cities Lab
Monday, August 20, 6:30 - 8:00PM 
The Edney Innovation Center, 5th Floor Accelerator Space

Building Industry | Round Table
with AIA Chattanooga
Thursday, September 13, 9:15 - 10:45AM
The Wheelhouse, 1216 E Main St, Chattanooga

Public Art & Black Communities | Focus Group
with Festival of Black Art & Ideas
Friday, September 14, 6:00 - 7:30PM
351 Derby Cir Chattanooga, TN 37404

City Artist | Focus Group
with Stove Works
Thursday, September 13, 12:00 - 1:30PM
Sculpture Flats, 1155 E Main St

Final Community Input Session
Interactive & Kid Friendly w/Coffee & Donuts
Saturday, September 15, 9:30 - 11:30AM
The New Miller Park, EPB Community Stage

About the Plan

We are honored to have Gail M. Goldman & Associates on board to facilitate the public art strategic planning process through the end of the year. We will engage Chattanooga’s diverse, creative community and not only identify sites, opportunities and goals for public artworks, but also detail policy, operational and funding strategies that include achievable action strategies that align with Chattanooga’s unique resources and capabilities. At the end of the process, the consultant team will deliver a 10 year strategic plan for the City of Chattanooga's public art program.

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About Our Consultants

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Gail Goldman has conducted 26 city, county, and transportation-related public art master plans that include policy and legislative analysis, development of administrative guidelines, identification of artwork locations and project goals, organizational structure, funding, public/private partnerships, artist selection methodology, project implementation, and community engagement. In addition, Ms. Goldman has directed the public art programs for the City of San Diego and the State of Colorado.

 

Barbara Goldstein has conducted 9 public art master plans and directed public art programs in Los Angeles, Seattle, and San Jose. She has organized 3 Public Art 101 conferences and is the author of Public Art by the Book, recognized as a definitive primer in the field. She has consulted on public art policy and planning since 2010, completing seven public art plans since 2010. These plans incorporated policy, funding strategies, community engagement, ordinance changes and procedures. She is currently completing public art plans for Glendale, CA and Bay Area Rapid Transit. She has coordinated and led workshops and webinars on Creative Placemaking, Public Art Administration and Emerging Artist Training.

The Public Art strategic plan is generously supported by the City of Chattanooga, the Lyndhurst Foundation and the Footprint Foundation.

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(423) 643-7823

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