A.G. Gancarski
Jacksonville artists, your ship may finally have come in. Two Art in Public Places bills, totaling over $1 million in allocations, should be passed by the full Council Tuesday.
An Art in Public Places bill, described as the “most significant investment in public art in Jacksonville history” by Tony Allegretti of the Cultural Council, also passed the Recreation, Community Development, Public Health and Safety (RCDPHS) committee on Tuesday.
The bill will allocate $759,418 for art at Cuba Hunter Park and at the Courthouse. The $728,611 for Courthouse art will come out of Better Jacksonville Plan funds.
RCDPHS chair Doyle Carter stated his preference to have a set-aside for local artists. Allegretti said that while local artists would be considered, national artists would also be in the mix.
The bill, which passed Finance Monday, will be considered by the full Council Tuesday.
****
A second bill, appropriating $355,287 (all but $9,612.70 from the Office of Public Parking), would fund a “public art opportunity” at the Water Street Garage.
It got some pushback.
Garrett Dennis had questions about the structural stability of the garage.
Al Ferraro said constituents would ask him “how you could vote for Art in Public Places when we have flooding issues in our neighborhood.”
The money will come from a Parking Enterprise Fund, earmarked for work like this.
The measure passed without objection.
