The Marshalltown Public Art Committee (MPAC), a program of the Arts & Culture Alliance, is excited to announce they have led a committee to select 3 artists for public art at the new Police & Fire Building. This project is a result following a 7-0 vote by the city council to approve a budget of $55,000 for a piece of art to visually elevate the new building.
The selection committee received 29 nation-wide responses to the request for qualifications in June. The committee then narrowed the selection down to three finalists who were tasked with developing site-specific concepts by September 1st. During the month of September, the selection committee will be engaging with the community to gather input on the 3 proposals for artwork at the new Police & Fire Department with an anticipated timeline of selecting the finalist by October 1st. Anticipating the completion of the building, David Rierson, Marshalltown Fire Chief, discussed the project. “Much like the project at Marshalltown High School, placing art at the new Police & Fire Building will enhance the overall beauty of the site and state-of-the-art facility.” And according to City Councilman and Selection Committee Member, Bill Martin, “An art installation at the Marshalltown Police & Fire Building will celebrate community purpose and pride. It will reflect the support and dedication of our public safety employees.” Mirroring his thoughts, Police Chief Mike Tupper added, “Public art is a community asset which plays an important role in the history and culture of any community. This project provides public safety with the opportunity to engage the community in a meaningful way, which I hope will allow us to turn this public safety space into something exciting and approachable.”
Selection Committee Members include the following:
Bill Martin (City Councilman)
Alicia Hunter (Police Department Representative)
Chief Rierson (Fire Department Representative)
Ben Fletcher (MPAC)
Conny Schutte (MPAC)
Justin Sorensen (MPAC)
Wendy Soltero (YMCA – Linn Creek District Representative)
Heidi Dalal (Arts & Culture Alliance)
Amber Danielson (Arts & Culture Alliance)
Finalists:
Frank Swanson of Littleton, CO
Heath Satow of Ugden, UT
Michael Clapper of Denver, CO
Project Goals:
Artwork selected for commissioning will:
*Exemplify service, honor, unity
*Represent respect and pride for the community
*Create an impact for, and compliment the distinct qualities of, the Linn Creek District
The winning proposal will be chosen based on:
*The quality of the design and the skill of the artist as demonstrated in previous works
*The design’s perceived effectiveness in meeting the project goals (as stated above)
*The artist’s commitment to completing and installing the final artwork in a timely manner
Anticipated Timeline:
Notification of final selection October 1st, 2019
Construction completion and installation of the artwork by June 2020
Community Engagement Plan:
September 9th @ 5:30pm Marshalltown City Council Meeting (report)
September 11th through 18th Display at Marshalltown Public Library
September 13th 5-8pm Display at 13th Street Event, Harvest Market
September 19th through 24th Private display for Marshalltown Police and Fire Departments
September 21st 1-4pm Display at MCBD Event, Restoration Tour
September 24th @ 6pm Display at Police & Fire New Building Open House
Executive Director of the Arts and Culture Alliance adds that, “the committee has worked diligently to get us to this point and we are beyond thrilled to share with the Community these 3 beautiful proposals as we get closer to selecting a finalist.”
The Marshalltown Public Art Committee is a program of the Marshall County Arts & Culture Alliance. Created to provide art in publicly accessible places and to be a resource for the City of Marshalltown. The Alliance is a non-profit organization located in Marshalltown and has been a proud sponsor of the annual Art Festival since 2009.