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Q&A
Update on City Canvas program implementation and artist selection process
3:07:10
ยท
5 min
Council Member Rivera inquires about the status of the City Canvas program, which aims to beautify construction fences and sidewalk sheds through art installations. Commissioner Cumbo and her team provide updates on the program's implementation and artist selection process.
- 10 artists have submitted works for approval for use on construction sites
- The program allows for both pre-approved designs and individualized commissions
- DCLA is working on making the program capital eligible, which would expand its reach
- The program has been well-received and is seen as a way to transform urban blight into community attractions
Carlina Rivera
3:07:10
Well and I think these are honorable goals.
3:07:12
It's just these are real organizations.
3:07:14
They've lost real dollars.
3:07:15
They've lost stability.
3:07:16
And you know that's what I keep coming back to just making sure that we move with the groups that are doing the work.
3:07:25
And I know you feel that way.
3:07:27
Okay, so let me ask about City Canvas.
3:07:32
That's nice.
3:07:35
So DCLA released the inaugural gallery for its City Canvas program July 2024, and I know we're working on capital eligibility and ensuring that a lot of groups have access to this program, and I and I appreciate your partnership in that.
3:07:48
The program aims to beautify hundreds of miles of temporary construction fences and sidewalk sheds through art installations, enhancing community aesthetics, fostering a sense of pride and safety.
3:08:00
What's the current status of the program?
Laurie Cumbo
3:08:04
Let me just say I'm so excited about this program.
3:08:07
Not to brag, I passed it while I was a city council member and I'm happy to implement it as a commissioner.
3:08:13
And your support on this particular legislation has been critical in order for us to be able to place art onto scaffolding across New York City.
3:08:23
I'm sure many of you are benefiting from it and seeing it in your own districts and how we're beautifying our communities on so many levels.
3:08:31
We now in the agency, we have 10 artists who have now submitted works of art for approval so that when a developer or a city agency or someone that's doing construction wants to utilize the ability for city canvas art to be placed on scaffolding, they are able to do so.
3:08:51
Even our own agency has scaffolding up on it and we will be placing art on those canvases very soon and we look forward to implementing that.
3:09:02
Do you want to expand on where we are legally with
Carlina Rivera
3:09:05
the City Canvas And the agency process for hiring the artists to design the art installations.
Lance Polivy
3:09:12
Of course we did an open call to solicit artist submissions for those 10 pre approved artworks.
3:09:21
And we got numerous submissions and then had a panel convene to review those artworks and to select the 10 pre approved artists who then went out and did the designs that you now see on our website.
3:09:34
So those are designs that any member of the public can, any building owner can choose to put on their building when they have sidewalk shed, fence, or netting on their property.
3:09:48
The program is also going really well with building owners who choose to do individualized commissions that are specific to one individual site instead of picking one of the pre approved designs.
3:10:02
And those have actually been more popular over the course of the last year or so since the 10 pre approved designs were implemented.
3:10:10
And I think continuing to partner with the council on the bill that you referenced to make capital eligibility a reality for these projects will mean even more adoption because if you think of the number of city capital projects going on throughout New York City and equitably throughout the five boroughs, it just means that there could be so much more art beautifying the city on city canvases.
Laurie Cumbo
3:10:35
And I just want to thank you for your collaboration and making it permissible for us to paint directly onto the scaffolding.
3:10:41
That ability to clean up that legislation to make sure that artists that want to create directly onto the scaffolding versus the vinyl are now able to do that.
3:10:51
And to Lance's point, our ability to see it as a capital a eligible process will create artwork all throughout the city.
3:11:00
And this is going to be very fundamental on so many areas where particularly in our NYCHA developments where scaffolding is up and it just creates a blight.
3:11:11
The ability for communities that have had scaffolding up because this administration wanted to make sure we took scaffolding down where we could, but in areas where we could not.
3:11:22
I can't tell you how exciting it is to be able to walk the community and for a grandmother to see her grandbaby's picture or a photo or a painting of their grandchild or to have a mom, you know, see her son's artwork placed on scaffolding.
3:11:40
I mean it does the community so much good to something that was once a blight to being something that they're calling people to come see.
3:11:49
So it's really an exciting project that uplifts the community and creates a level of vibrancy that so many communities need and I'm happy to have had your collaboration on it.
Carlina Rivera
3:12:00
No.
3:12:00
And I I appreciate your vision because, you know in the council we talk a lot about sidewalk sheds and scaffolding and we're gonna pass a few bills that I co sponsor to reform the process, you know as a big quality of life issue.
3:12:15
But for you to look at it as turning a blight into an attraction.
3:12:20
Mhmm.
3:12:21
I, you know, I we already passed our bill and we wanna do more.
3:12:25
And so I just that that reform that's taking place and the way that we've been able to complement it in supporting artists, I just hope that, you know, doesn't that also shows up in the conversation we're about to have in a in a week or so or whenever we pass these bills.
Martha Bowers
3:12:41
Mhmm.
Carlina Rivera
3:12:42
And I'll always be sure to give credit where it's due, you know.
3:12:44
Like I said, this was your vision, and I know we want more artists and more boroughs and more districts for the program.
3:12:53
So thank you for talking a little bit about the selection process.
Laurie Cumbo
3:12:57
I do like that you said the next week and a half though.
3:12:59
I like that.
Carlina Rivera
3:13:01
You know, we're trying to do good things.
Jirina Ribbens
3:13:04
Alright.
3:13:04
Yeah.
3:13:05
We work hard.