To: Members of the Public Art Commission
From: Maia Aman, Town Liaison
Title
Discussion/Direction: Asphalt Art Initiative Grant Application
Body
________________________________________________________________________________
Executive Summary
In November, Commissioner Susan Paulsen requested that the Public Art Commission consider a grant application opportunity, offered through Bloomberg Philanthropies, called the Asphalt Art Initiative. This grant program is designed to fund visual art interventions on roadways, pedestrian spaces and public infrastructure in small- and medium-sized U.S. cities with populations of 30,000-500,000. The program will award 10 cities grants of up to $25,000. The program’s Asphalt Art Guide can be referenced in Attachment A.
The grant eligibility required the identification of a fiscal agent with 501(c)3 nonprofit status to receive and distribute the grant funds. The Castle Rock Artist Cooperative (CRAC) volunteered to partner with the Town on this project to function as the fiscal agent and oversee the creative vision. The Town will maintain responsibility for project management and general administration.
A CRAC subcommittee convened on Wednesday, December 4 to define the project scope. Since then, staff have written a draft grant application, which can be viewed in Attachment B, and compiled supporting documentation, while Downtown Alliance Executive Director and CRAC Board Member, Kevin Tilson, has worked to obtain permissions and acknowledgements from necessary partners, including local businesses, site owners, the Public Works Department and the Town Manager.
The grant application will be submitted to Bloomberg Philanthropies on Thursday, December 12. Grant award notifications will be sent out in spring 2020 with an expected project completion of December 31, 2020.
Attachments
Attachment A - Asphalt Art Guide
Attachment B - Grant application draft