Artist Osamede Obasee talks with Lynne Byrne about his sculpture, titled "Guitarist" on Phillips Ave Saturday morning May 9, 2009, after being installed as part of SculptureWalk Sioux Falls.
If it plays in Sioux Falls, why not Salina?
But a proposed public sculpture program for downtown Salina modeled on one from downtown Sioux Falls, S.D., drew some reservations Monday from the staff of Salina's Arts and Humanities Commission. They expressed concerns about how the program would be implemented and managed.
"The quality needs to be worked on. I think it's important that we know that," Bonfy-Stewart said.
Sioux Falls' Sculpture Walk is a citizen-led initiative that invites artists each year to enter outdoor sculptures to be displayed year-around in downtown Sioux Falls.
Salina commissioners, after a lengthy and spirited discussion in their study session before their regular meeting Monday, gave informal approval to proceed with developing guidelines for a similar effort here.
The Salina initiative arose from a trip in September for Salina leaders sponsored by the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce to Sioux City, Iowa, and Sioux Falls, S.D. The trip was designed to collect tips on how to help Salina prosper and grow.
Artists in Sioux Falls loan their works to the exhibit, although the works are promoted for sale. Artists are eligible to win any one of more than 14 awards, including Best of Show and People's Choice. Awards total $15,000.
City Commissioner Samantha Angell said she enthusiastically supports the People's Choice award.
"I love the idea that the folks who are actually paying for the art -- taxpayers -- finally have a voice in what's purchased with their money," Angell said.
Angell's comments were echoed by Commissioner Aaron Peck, who also said the program could be a community benefit, if "egos and politics" don't bog down the process.
Salina has an arts agency
Sioux Falls leaders say the program makes their downtown -- a community of 150,000 -- an attractive tourist destination. The idea is to do the same for Salina's downtown.
But Sioux Falls doesn't have a public arts agency integrated with city government the way the arts and humanities is integrated in Salina, Bonfy-Stewart said.
"We're different. They had to do this by amateurs and volunteers because they don't have that infrastructure," Bonfy-Stewart said.
She said art is a profession with every bit as high standards as engineering and safe practices that we have for any of our infrastructure.
"We are all in favor of having everyone be successful at this, and the process that Mike and Dennis have tried to put together has a lot of really good working things," she said, referring to Mike Hoppock, the owner of Land Title Services of Salina, the leader of the volunteer effort; and Dennis Lauver, president and CEO of the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce.
The Salina program proposes to use a jury process to select entries. That process would include representation by the arts and humanities commission, the Salina Art Center, and the best practices guidelines by the Public Art Network.
"I don't see a bunch of volunteers and amateurs, I see arts representation," Angell said.
Playing a consulting role
City Manager Jason Gage said that in talks with arts and humanities staff Friday, there was an agreement reached that the agency would play a consulting role throughout the entire process.
"I did not hear that commitment from Mike today, I'm sorry," Bonfy-Stewart said.
Gage responded that the final guidelines are still being developed.
"We recognize that this is an experiment for Salina," he said. "We all recognize there are things we'll learn along the way."
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