The Historic Preservation Review Commission will hear an update on the city’s Public Art Initiative at its Thursday meeting, the last one of 2017.

In 2012, the Benicia City Council approved the Benicia Public Art Program, which is aimed at creating and acquiring public art. The program is administered by the Arts and Culture Commission (ACC), which reports to the council on all program-related activities.

This year, the ACC formed a subcommittee called the Art Selection Committee (ASC), which reviews public art proposals and makes recommendations to the ACC on the selection of artists and potential locations for public art. Members of the HPRC are allowed to participate in this subgroup. Commissioners Jon Van Landschoot and Gilbert von Studnitz were appointed in April to serve as HPRC representatives.

In August, the city issues a Call for Artists for public art on traffic control boxes, as well as public art on downtown benches and trash cans. Principal Planner Suzanne Thorsen wrote in a memorandum that proposals had been received for a bench and a trash can. The trash can proposal was approved, while the bench proposal was rejected. The traffic control box proposals are expected to be reviewed at a simultaneous Public Art Committee meeting on Thursday in the Benicia Public Library’s Edna Clyne Room. Additionally, the ACC plans on making a recommendation in January, which will later be approved by the council for approval and authorization.

“While there will be some administrative review by the Community Development and Public Works Departments to aid in successful implementation of the program, the public art proposals for traffic control boxes do not require review or approval by the HPRC,” Thorsen wrote.

In regards to murals on downtown walls, Thorsen said there are no current proposals in this category but public art on private property would have to go to the HPRC for review, per the Public Art Program.

ACC members have been promoting and raising funds for the Public Art Initiative all year, including through screenings of two classic movies at the Majestic Theatre: “Casablanca” in July and “The Bride of Frankenstein” in October.

In other business, the commission will review a status update on the Downtown Historic District’s design guidelines.

The HPRC will meet at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 21 in City Hall’s Commission Room, located at 250 East L St.

Sharing is caring!