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In 1990, Ohio's Percent for Art legislation
began providing funds for the acquisition, commissioning and installation of works of art
for new and renovated buildings with state appropriations of more than $4 million; one
percent of the total appropriation is allocated for art work. That's the letter of the
law. But now, less than a decade later, the true spirit of the law is taking hold across
the state as building planners are making a commitment to art beyond what the law
mandates. "Because of the legislation, planners of buildings realize that visual arts should be part of our everyday environment," says Irene Finck, Ohio Arts Council Percent for Art Program coordinator. One recent example involves the Schottenstein Arena under construction at Ohio State University. The Percent for Art appropriation funded only the design of a 64,000-square-foot terrazzo floor by artist Alexis Smith. The OSU Department of Athletics raised more than $1.7 million in private dollars to finance the execution and installation of the art work, to be unveiled this fall when the arena opens. Likewise, trustees of Columbus State Community College have decided a privately funded $10 million construction project, not subject to the Percent for Art requirement, should nonetheless include a one percent set-aside for art. They have asked the Ohio Arts Council to administer selection of the artist. "This is the outcome everyone envisioned when the program was founded," says Wayne P. Lawson, Ohio Arts Council executive director. "Once the state recognizes by law that it is responsible to support and foster the arts in this way, communities and institutions begin to recognize the value of including art in public and private buildings of all sorts." The Ohio Arts Council administers the Percent for Art Program and acts as liaison between artists and contracting agencies for each site, but recognizes that each project has its own goals, partnerships and constituencies. This flexibility inspires enthusiasm for public art. The process has guaranteed completion of 40 projects to date, bringing public art into major cities and small communities statewide. Many completed projects can be viewed on the Ohio Arts Council's web site. |
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