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CAC 11 27 1995� z W OF TNT CULTURAL COMMISSION AGENDA La Quinta Civic Center Study Session Room 78-495 Calle Tampico La Quinta, CA 92253 November 27, 1995 7:00 P.M. 1. CALL TO ORDER A. Roll Call B. Pledge of Allegiance II. CONFIRMATION OF AGENDA Corrections, additions, deletions or reorganization of the agenda III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Approval of Minutes of October 23, 1995 IV. PUBLIC COMMENT The Chair reserves the right to limit discussion on any topic to five minutes or less. V. CORRESPONDENCE AND WRITTEN MATERIALS A. Art in Public Places Master Art Plan - Adopted by City Council October 17, 1995 B. Art in Public Places Minutes for October 2 & October 19, 1995 VI. STAFF REPORTS A. Cultural Affaris Commission Name Change VII. COMMISSION BUSINESS A. Cultural Arts Master Plan VIII. COMMISSIONER COMMENT & ANNOUNCEMENTS A. Commissioner Sharp CACAGN.014 1 IX. NEXT MEETING DATE, TIME AND TOPIC December 18, 1995 7:00 PM La Quinta Civic Center Study Session Room • Cultural Arts Master Plan • Approve Handbook Updates • X. ADJOURNMENT CACAGN.014 2 ITEM V. A. MASTER ART PLAN A PUBLIC ART PLAN FOR THE CITY OF LA Q UINTA A Project of the Art in Public Places Commission Present Members John Walling, Chairman Nancy Nard Carolyn Lair Rosita Shamis Sharon Kennedy Elaine Reynolds Michelle Klein Past Members Kay Wolff Meg Robertson Kathleen Smith -Schooley Kathryn B. HuIl Lia Gilbert Ron Kiedrowski Under the Direction of the Community Development Department Jerry Herman, Director June, 1993 to June, 1995 ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OCTOBER 179 1995 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Defining Public Art and its Purpose 1.2 History of Public Art in La Quinta 2.0 Guidelines 2.1 Goals of a Public Art Program 2.2 Artists' Rights 2.3 Local Versus Non -Local Artists 2.4 Managing Controversy 3.0 Administering a Public Art Program 3.1 Role of the City Council 3.2 , Actualizing Public Art Projects 3.3 Dedication Procedures 3.4 Public Contacts and Involvement 3.5 Education 3.6 Notification and Orientation for Developers 3.7 Staff to Art in Public Places Commission 4.0 Art in Public Places Commission Selection 5.0 Funding a Public Art Program 2 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 D The La Quinta Art in Public Places Ordinance (Chapter 2.65) defines "Public Art" as original creations of art which are shared by the people of the community, being easily visible and accessible. The ordinance further states, "This public art can include, but is not limited to sculpture, murals, mosaics, fountains, and paving designs." The stated goal of the Cultural Resources Element of the General Plan is to provide "enrichment of the community by adequate cultural and recreational facilities and activities." To implement this goal, the General Plan mandates the City to "provide facilities and encourage opportunities for cultural enhancement of the City of La Quinta. The General Plan further states that the cultural resources of a city encompasses those facilities and programs which refresh, enhance or re-create people's bodies and spirits." Community parks, recreational activities, historic resources, library facilities and art festivals are included in this classification. The Art in Public Places Programs is intended to achieve this purpose by providing visual art throughout the City. The City of La Quinta has developed a nationwide reputation through the annual La Quinta Arts Festival and other artistic events, which attract thousands of visitors every year to view and purchase art and crafts in the City. The public health, morals, safety and welfare, the preservation and enhancement of property values and economic vitality, as well as the popularity and prosperity of the community, are dependent upon and enhanced by visually pleasing and high quality public art. Public art in La Quinta strives to break the traditional forms (monuments to ego or power, "plop - art" afterthoughts) and yet not be faddish or transitory. Rather, the goal is to use a collaborative approach, involving the community, artist and developer, to create a "place" where people want to be and where there is an enriching visual experience. Public art is about having something in which to delight or by which to be surprised, something as simple as a creatively graded median, elegantly designed tree grates, or street signs which reflect what lies beyond. Public art also is about collaboration. Although not all projects successfully involve artist, architect, landscape designer, the most successful have done so. Equally invigorating is the collaboration among agencies, the public, and the designers toward a unique product. However, this product is not the result of each party contributing an add -on, but rather the result of a cooperative effort meeting common goals. Public art is also about the immediate. Those who create public art must respond to a unique set of circumstances at a specific time. Public art makes available to La Quinta residents artwork of the highest quality and addresses an audience both broad and heterogeneous, that will in turn, enhance the quality of life in the City. APPDOC.003 3 The purpose of a Public Art Program is to foster change. Probably more important than the change which comes from enhancing the quality of the environment, is changing human action and perception. As citizens become involved in the processes of public art, they become more responsive to their visual world and begin to accept more responsibility for it. With this responsibility comes a new awareness of what one ought to expect from the City and its planners. When exposed to more public art, the public response becomes more educated and more tolerant. There have always been locations in La Quinta which approximate the goals of an Art in Public Places Program. While not created by "artists," these locales achieve the uplifting powers which enhance our lives. Many of these are natural: vistas of our mountains, cove, clear skies, or waterlines which have made our community so attractive to residents and visitors. Others are archaeological: i.e., native American artifacts. Still others are modern constructions which create a unique ambiance, such as the La Quinta Hotel which is notable for its history, charm, and Spanish style architecture. To further enhance the quality of life in La Quinta, the City Council created the Art in Public Places Program. The ordinance was written under the direction of the Community Services Commission which invited representatives from neighboring cities to present the goals of their respective public art programs to the Commissioners. Subsequently, the Art in Public Places Ordinance was written, presented to the City Council and passed into law on June 19, 1990. The City Council selected five Art in Public Places Commission Members who commenced regular meetings in January, 1991. On January 19, 1993, the Art in Public Places Commission recommended its first commissioned piece to the City Council to be placed in the Civic Center adjacent to the Council Chambers. The abstract sculpture entitled "Sun and Moonbeam" by artist Louis DeMartino, is designed to embody the natural physical beauty and spirit of the community. In 1993, the Commission was increased to seven members. 2.0 GUIDELINES 2.1.1. One goal of the La Quinta Public Art Program is to make available to the residents of La Quinta artwork of the highest quality and create a visual environment which will serve the City by: • Giving it identity by expressing the character and history of the community through the medium of the arts. • Enhancing its civic pride and prestige by developing a creative public environment resulting from a partnership of architecture, art, landscape, and nature, thereby creating neighborhood identity and cohesion. APPDOC.003 4 • Creating a more visually pleasing and humane environment and setting an example of pleasing, people responsive public spaces, thereby developing a stimulus for thinking and dialogue as a learning process. • Providing a means of cultural expression and cultural diversity expressed through public art, which will promote understanding and awareness of the visual arts and thus expanding the public's experiences with art. 2.1.2 The La Quinta Public Art Program will also serve the local economy by: • Enhancing the economic viability of the community. • Developing attractions for tourism. • Creating more jobs for artists and their suppliers. • Utilizing artists as problem solvers where creative, economical solutions are needed. • Contributing to the "quality of life" package for individuals and businesses contemplating locations. 2.1.3 The La Quinta Public Art Program will activate resources by: • Creating a collaboration between artists, architects, site planners, and citizens which builds bridges of understanding, tolerance, and appreciation. • Involving artists in the activities of the City, and utilizing their unique talents. • Bringing art into the building and planning process. • Discovering resources made apparent by the arts. 2.2 Artists' Ri hght General policies regarding artists' rights are addressed in the La Quinta Art in Public Places Ordinance. Specific rights shall be incorporated into contractual agreements for actual artworks for the City, using the contract model in the appendix. Artworks acquired by expenditures from the Art in Public Places fund shall be the property of and maintained by the City. Artworks acquired and installed by the project applicant in lieu of payment of fees shall be the property of the project applicant or maybe donated to the City. The following artists' rights shall be guaranteed: 2.2.1 The artists' art concepts and artworks shall not be altered, removed or moved from a location which is integral to the art concept without consultation with the artist. Should the City be unable to contact the artist to obtain such permission, such modifications may proceed with the recommendation of the Art in Public Places Commission. 2.2.2 Maintenance of public artworks and art places shall be the responsibility of the owner, i.e., the City or developer. Maintenance shall be carried out in accordance with the artist's written instructions provided upon completion of the initial project. APPDOC.003 5 2.2.3 While repairs and restoration shall be the responsibility of the owner, the City shall contact the artist to ascertain if he/she wishes to collaborate in such work. The City/owner shall have the right to execute minor or emergency repairs without the consent of the artist, according to the artist's instructions. 2.2.4 The City may dispose of artwork subject to prior agreements. 2.2.5 Copyright of public artworks, art places, art concepts shall belong to the creator(s), but the City and/or the owner shall be granted in the contract the right to make two-dimensional reproductions for non-commercial purposes. 2.2.6 The artist shall have the right to supervise the work of a third party contracted for any construction or fabrication related to the artwork or art place. 2.2.7 Artwork installed for a minimum of 25 years may apply for an agreement to extend the contract for ten year increments. (See Art in Public Places Ordinance Chapter 2.65.100(A)) 2.2.8 The City may sell artworks purchased with City monies or donated to the City, with proceeds credited to the Art in Public Places fund. The City may exchange existing artworks for replacement artworks. Private artwork may be exchanged with "Council approval or the original fee paid to the Art in Public Places Account". (See Art in Public Places Ordinance Chapter 2.65. 1 10(E).) fie, rem. �r It is recognized that the La Quinta Public Art Program is intended to benefit living artists and to provide local artists with a means of participating in the cultural life of their city. The program, while intended for local artists, shall not limit the opportunity for artists from other parts of the world to share their unique gifts with La Quinta. In the pursuit of artwork of the highest quality, interaction among artists with different perspectives and the exchange of artistic philosophies among different cities and states shall be encouraged. FJJM�F!191114111WO 1 1_ It is recognized that public art often is a "lightning rod" for controversy and that the Public Art Program shall establish guidelines which help to manage it. Of greatest importance is having a mechanism for public involvement in public art projects, a means whereby those who live and/or work near the project somehow participate in the project. In order to manage controversy, programs and projects shall be developed which give communities "territoriality" or ownership of their public art program such as: Community public art activities. Community representation on public art projects. APPDOC.003 6 • Public education programs. • Media programs. • Artists -in -the -neighborhood programs. • Development of sites for community celebrations. A public education program shall be initiated whereby artists become available to talk with the public, where new forms of art are discussed, the idea of collaboration and integration of the design arts are explored, and media campaigns are built to aid in the demystification of art, especially public art. Those responsible for naming selection panels shall take into consideration the fact that the project is for a public place, not a museum, and the public shall be involved. An open process must be established and maintained so that no surprises occur. The more that is shared about a project the more acceptance it will win. The goal of this plan is not to make the public like or enjoy what has been created, or to make artist selections by public vote, but to assure that all can accept the process of site, artist, and art selection as having been fair and collaborative. 3.0 ADMINISTERING A PUBLIC ART PROGRAM • The La Quinta City Council shall be responsible for maintaining the Public Art Program as established by the Council. This shall include: • The appointment of citizens to the Art in Public Places Commission. • The appropriation of funds to the Public Art Program for the acquisition and installation of approved artworks, and to the maintenance of these works. • Monitoring and investing of funds designated for the Art in Public Places Program. • The approval of art projects as recommended by the Art in Public Places Commission, including the commissioning of artworks, the purchase or lease of art sites, and agreements for the purchase, display and disposition of artworks, and the repair, maintenance or servicing of artworks. • The issuance of contracts to selected and approved artists. • The expansion of opportunities for the City's citizens to experience public art and other projects resulting from the creative expression of its artists in public places of the City. • The arrangement for, and participation in, a public dedication of any acquired art piece. • The review of the Art in Public Places Program at regular intervals to evaluate its effectiveness. APPDOC.003 The Art in Public Places Commission shall: • Determine whether the project is to be an open competition, limited competition, or direct selection. • Identify all participants, i.e.,artist, engineer, architect, consultant, etc. • Develop a project amount for each public art project. • Establish project timeline. • Select a sub -committee (jury) to approve the artist/art selection. A different artist -selection jury shall be impaneled for certain public art projects. The juries shall be given as much latitude as possible, not only in selecting the artist for the project, but also in refining the definition of the site and the parameters of the artist's contribution to the project. For these reasons, the juries shall be named at the earliest possible time after a project has been identified in order to allow for adapting to a design collaboration if it seems preferable and possible even if the project was not originally so identified. Membership of the artist selection jury shall include: A member of the Art in Public Places Commission who will sit without vote, except in the case of a tie, as chairperson and advisor to each jury. Three other individuals appointed from a master jurors list. This list shall include, but not be limited to, all potential jurors from La Quinta as well as other areas of the Coachella Valley. In naming jurors to the master jurors list, the Art in Public Places Commission shall be aware of the extent of a juror's knowledge of local, regional, and national artists, the juror's ability to assess the design and problem -solving abilities of an artist, and the juror's sensitivity to the requirements/restrictions imposed by design collaborations. In naming a jury, the Art in Public Places Commission shall create a jury with a positive and protective "personality. " Occasionally it will be desirable to include jurors from outside the region with a national perspective on public art. This will be true especially on large projects where federal or foundation matching funds will be sought. Public dedications and receptions shall be identified, organized, and arranged by the Art in Public Places Commission and staff with approval of the City Council. The Commission shall recommend the place, date, and time of the dedication or reception. The Commission shall recommend whether a dedication procedure will take place for a developer's project or whether this shall be implemented by the developer, and subsequently funded by the developer. APPDOC.003 Staff shall be responsible for: • Preparation and mailing of all invitations. • Arrangements for any refreshments. • Arrangements for entertainment,. amplification, staging, and seating. • Invitations for the artist, press, and other appropriate officials. In order to ensure that the combining of art making and the public is a "constructive engagement, " it is necessary to implement guidelines for cultivating contacts and actively pursue meaningful community involvement in the process. A variety of special events and programs can contribute to a positive reception of public art. The following strategies are recommended: 3.4.1. Printed Information - The La Quinta Art in Public Places Commission and City staff shall create printed material describing the purpose and goals of the Public Art Plan for La Quinta. This information shall be accessible in terms of language and availability to the general public and provide conceptual guidelines for developers. 3.4.2. Communication - The Art in Public Places Commission shall develop a comprehensive artists' bank and mailing list of those individuals or agencies that would benefit from receiving information, i.e., requests for proposals, press releases, and general information regarding the La Quinta Art in Public Places Program. 3.4.3. A publications program shall be developed and sustained through posters of new artwork, art places, public art exhibits, Chamber of Commerce Newsletter articles for all City art activities with editorials and opinion, and catalogs of public art projects and collections. A documentation program shall be maintained in order to have photographs and written materials available for the media and communications program. Local "stakeholders" shall be kept informed about upcoming projects and updated about projects underway through the news media or informational letters. These stakeholders are members of the community who may be directly affected by the proposed art project. APPDOC.003 9 3.4.4. Media - Cultivating positive media coverage requires an ongoing effort. Representatives of the Art in Public Places Program shall make every effort to engage the media at every stage of the public art process by developing press releases and media packages, preparing articles of national significance, and promoting high profile activities in public art. Designated Art in Public Places representatives shall invite media coverage concerning the fabrication and installation of the artwork, as well as the final unveiling. 3.4.5. Public Presentations - On behalf of the City of La Quinta, a designated staff person or members of the Art in Public Places Commission may wish to make public presentations about the La Quinta Art in Public Places Program to local and regional. groups and agencies to encourage public awareness and interest. 3.4.6. Community Forums - When beginning any local public art project it is recommended that the Art in Public Places Commission and designated staff hold a public forum/meeting for local residents and identified stakeholders. The meeting shall include a general orientation presentation about the purpose of public art, the goals of La Quinta's Master Art Plan, and details of the specific site identified for a project with opportunity for a question and answer session. In addition to the Art in Public Places Commission, public representation shall be included in all phases of public art projects. Community groups and individuals shall be consulted in determining sites and priorities, and in the artist selection process. Community groups shall be encouraged to co-sponsor creation of art places, e.g., temporary public art, and to co-sponsor dedications, e.g., Rotary Club, La Quinta Arts Foundation, Soroptimists, etc. 3.4.7 Public Lectures, Workshops - When and where it is deemed appropriate, it is recommended that artists and public art managers conduct lectures or workshops for community groups, government agencies, citizen committees, schools, service groups, corporate service groups, and to artists, art organizations, and other design professionals. 3.4.8 Temporary Art Installations - Many communities find that creating opportunities for temporary public art programs has been useful in expanding public perceptions of public art. The temporary nature of the work allows community members to experience the effects of different approaches to public art making it a non- threatening environment. Several artists may simultaneously create work at a public event to stimulate interaction and meaningful dialogue. The Art in Public Places Commission may choose to use some of their funds to commission temporary work or may ask other local cultural organizations to consider producing such events. APPDOC.003 10 3.4.9 Public Access to Artmaking - Wherever possible and appropriate it is recommended that temporary and permanent commissioned artwork be fabricated locally in a place where local stakeholders have public access to view the process of the making of the artwork at different intervals of the process. Viewing the process increases the community's sense of ownership of the work and most often contributes to a positive reception to the work when completed. 3.4.10 Displays - The City shall allow the necessary resources to create public displays of public art competitions and/or select projects. Artists' maquettes may be displayed with interpretative materials at the Civic Center and other appropriate locations where there is public access. An education program shall be established to help educate the public to the diversity of public art, the creative process, the potential for design talents, and the use of the arts and artists for public relations. Some programs and techniques can include: • Design competitions and design awards • Talks by artists and art administrators for the public • Lectures and slide presentations on contemporary art and public art • Tours of places -as -art and other public art • Public art exhibitions • Symposia on subjects related to public art • Artists -in -schools program • Wall mural projects • Community -to -community art and/or artist exchanges • Public collaboration projects among communities, artists, corporations, governments; among different art forms, i.e., written word and visual art, performance art. The process of bridging the gap between how the public envisions art and how artists pursue it shall be a part of every public art project. Creating opportunities for meaningful dialogues among city planners, artists, project planners and the community requires community education about the program and projects. There must be continuous education. of the public about public art. Some potential programs to be developed by the Art in Public Places Commission include: • Bus tours of existing public or City -owned art in the Coachella Valley. • Walking or driving tours of La Quinta sites identified in the site inventory. • Traveling exhibition of site inventory team recommendations, including maps, photos, drawings, and written work. • Public art presentations at La Quinta schools. APPDOC.003 11 • Artist -in -residence program and artist -in -community programs. • Neighborhood involvement in art installations and art site development. • Microcosm site inventory project, i.e., senior centers, elementary schools, schools doing mini -site inventories of their property and exhibits. • Displays of archaeological objects found at sites. Any potential developer or builder shall have a briefing from the Art in Public Places Commission on procedure for creating his/her art project prior to approval of the conceptual site plan. A concise brochure shall be presented to each prospective developer who contacts the Community Development Department seeking procedural advice. Such a document shall state the purpose and goals of the City's Art in Public Places Program followed by a synopsis of why such a program is important to a developer, particularly if he/she provides his/her own work. Some of these might include: • General aesthetic enhancement of the community provides a better business climate. • Association with public art improves the developer's image. • Developer participation in the Public Art Program brings him/her closer to the community in terms of understanding its personality. • Political goodwill is created by actively contributing something concrete to the community. • Art projects associated with certain developments can become City landmarks which become people destinations. In order that the developer fully understands the opportunities to integrate art into his/her project, the Art in Public Places Commission may secure the services of an art consultant. When the City retains an art consultant, his/her relationship with a developer shall convey assistance from the City and not imposition. A list of other successful public art projects completed by developers in the City (and Coachella Valley) shall be presented for the prospective developer to use as references to help him/her understand the process and goals. The Community Development Department of the City of La Quinta shall serve as staff to the Art in Public Places Commission. In addition, fiscal records of fees paid, interest earned and expenses incurred will be maintained by the Fiscal Services Department and reported as needed to the Commission and the City Council. APPDOC.003 12 When appropriate, the Art in Public Places Commission shall recommend to the Council to contract with professional public art consultants to advise it and/or to advise potential developers on ways to implement the Art in Public Places Ordinance. Members of the Art in Public Places Commission represent the public and are citizens of the La Quinta community. The Art in Public Places Commission will be a standing Commission appointed by the City Council. It will be composed of seven (7) members: three (3) members from the La Quinta Arts Foundation, and four (4) members at large. Commission members will serve for staggered two-year terms beginning on July 1 of every other year. The Commission will meet monthly and will elect officers at their first meeting in July. Officers will consist of Chairperson and Vice Chairperson. Fees are required for developments of new, or improvements to existing buildings (see Ordinance 203). Development fees are deposited in the Art in Public Places Fund in the amounts as established by the Ordinance, prior to the issuance of a building permit (see Ordinance for exceptions) . In lieu of paying a development fee for public art, an applicant may acquire and install or commission an artwork on the site or in the vicinity of the project site, subject to recommendation of the Commission to the City Council. The Art in Public Places Fund shall be used to provide art sites for, and art work in, public places. APPDOC.003 13 2.65.010 Section: 2.65.010 2.65.020 265.030 2.65.040 2.65.050 2.65.060 2.65.0707 2.65.080 Chapter 2.65 ART IN PUBLIC PLACES Intent and purpose. Findings Definitions. Formation and functions of the Art in Public Place Commission Requirement to provide art work or pay development fee. Projects subject to Art in Public Places Program requirements. Processing of arts application. Regulations for art work. 2.65.090 Development fee. 2.65.100 Credits --Agreements as to particular projects. 2.65.110 Art in Public Places Fund. 2.65.120 Implementation and administration of this chapter. 2.65.01.0 Intent and purpose. A. This chapter may be known and cited as the "La Quinta Art in Public Places Program." The City of La Quinta has developed a nationwide reputation through the annual La Quinta Arts Festival and other artistic events, and attracts thousands of visitors every year to view and purchase art and crafts in the City. The public health, safety and welfare, the preservation and enhancement of property values and economic vitality, as well as the popularity and prosperity of the community, are dependent upon and enhanced by visually pleasing and high quality public art. B. The stated goal of the Cultural Resources Element of the General Plan is to provide "enrichment of the community by adequate cultural and recreational facilities and activities." To implement this goal, the General Plan further states that "the cultural resources of a city encompass those facilities and programs which refresh, enhance or recreate people's bodies and spirits." Community parks, recreational activities, historic resources, library facilities and art festivals are included in this classification. The Art in Public Places Program is intended to achieve this purpose by providing visual art throughout the City. C. Residential and commercial development throughout the City will benefit from public art, both financially and visually. All property within the City will prosper through the enhancement and preservation of property values that will result from the location of visual art throughout the City. As such, the cost of providing public art should be shared. This program is a means of achieving a balanced responsibility of providing a cultural enhancement. D. Therefore the City Council declares that art work in its various physical forms displayed in public venues in the City constitute public facilities of benefit to the citizens and visitors to the City and in the interest of the public health, safety and welfare, it is the policy of the City to require acquisition and installation of public art works as provided in this chapter. (Ord. 173 § 1 (part), 1990) LQ-APP.95 2.65.010 2.65.020 Findings The City Council makes the following findings in connection with the adoption of this chapter: A. There is a reasonable relationship between the acquisition of art works through the Art in Public Places Program and the projects on which the fees provided by this chapter shall be imposed because: 1. Art works will enhance the real property values within the City generally, including the developments on which the fees will be imposed, and 2. Art works will, by enhancing the aesthetic values of the City as a whole, make the City an attractive place to live and work, thereby making the City more vital; and B. There is a reasonable relationship between the need for cultural amenities such as art and the developments upon which the fees provided for herein shall be imposed because the developments of real property generally necessitates that additional costs be incurred and amenities be provided to provide for harmonious and aesthetically pleasing environments created by the development; and C. The amount of the fee is reasonably related to the art works to be acquired because the amount of the fee increases as the value of the development upon which the fee is imposed rises, so there will be a direct and proportionate relationship between the size of the development and the quantity or quality of art work which can b e purchased from the fees generated by the development upon which the fees shall be imposed. (Ord. 173 § 1 (part), 1990) 2.65030 Definitions As used in this chapter: A. "Arts application" means the application to be submitted by a project applicant pursuant to Section 2.65.070. B. "Art in Public Places Fund" means the fund established by Section 2.65.110. C. "Art site" means any site, upon which the art work is to be located, on public or private property within the City which is accessible and visible to the general public. D. "Art work" means original creations of art including, but not limited to, the following categories: sculpture, murals, mosaics, fountains, and paving designs. These categories may be realized through such media as steel, bronze stained glass, concrete, wood, ceramic tile and stone, as well as other suitable materials. E. "Fee" or "Fees" means the fees imposed by this chapter. F. "Projects" means all construction or rehabilitation in the City covered by a single building permit. G. "Project costs" means the value of the improvements for a project based upon the building permit valuation submitted. (Ord. 203 §§ 1, 2, 1992; Ord. 173 § 1 (part), 1990) 2.65.040 Formation and functions of the Art in Public Places Commission. A. eminitittee Commission Composition and Selection. The City Council establishes an Art in Public Places eonimitt Commission (the " " "Commission") composed of three members of the La Quinta Arts Foundation nominated by the La Quinta Arts Foundation, and four at -large members appointed directly by the City Council from the community. The LQ-APP.95 2.65.010 Commission will be composed of seven members. Theeonnnittee Commission will be confirmed and appointed by the City Council. The Commission will submit to the City Council a recommendation for ratification of public art to be financed by the Art in Public Places Program and carry out the other functions described "in this chapter. B. Term of eonnnittee Commission. The Coinmrttee Commission members will serve for staggered two-year terms beginning on July 1st of every other year, commencing July 1, 1990. Initially two members will serve two-year terms, one for three years and two for one year. C. Oommittee Commission Functions. The primary function of the 6onvnittee Commission will be to prepare an Art in Public Places Plan for recommendation for adoption by the City Council and the implementation of such plan by the City Council. To the extent possible, the plan shall identify art sites, art work and estimates of cost for the art work and art sites. In implementation of the plan; the Commission shall undertake the following tasks: 1. The Conmittee Commission will be responsible for selecting art works to be financed by the Art in Public Places Program, using the guidelines for selection as provided for in Section 2.65.080; 2. The eotimittee Commission will work with City staff to develop a list of possible art sites; 3. Theeonnitittee Commission will seek ways of procuring public art other than through fees such as endowments, donations, loan programs, trusts and similar means of support; 4. Theeommitt Commission will recommend to the City Council agreements for the purchase of commissioning of art works, the purchase or lease of art sits and agreements for the purchase and display of art work or the repair, maintenance or servicing of art work; 5. The E3otninittee Commission will meet monthly and will elect officers at its first meeting in July. Officers of theeonmittee Commission will consist of chairperson and vice -chairperson. The eonnnitt Commission may adopt bylaws relating to the implementation of their work under this chapter. (Ord. 247 § 1, 1994; Ord. 230 § 1, 1993; Ord. 226 § 1, 1993; Ord. 173 § 1 (part), 1990) 2.65.050 Requirement to provide art work or pay development fee. When a project is subject to the requirements of this chapter pursuant to Section 2.65.060, the project applicant shall pay a development fee, as described in Subsection A of this section, or shall comply with the provisions of Subsection B of this section. Project applicants shall indicate on their Art in Public Places application whether the project applicant will comply with Subsections A or B of this section. A.' Development Fees. The project applicants shall pay a fee to be deposited in the Art in Public Places Fund established pursuant to Section 2.65.110 equal to the amount provided in Section 2.65.090 of this chapter for the project. B. Provision of Art Work. In -lieu of paying the development fee as required by Subsection A of this section, the project applicant may acquire and install an art work on an art site on or in the vicinity of the project site pursuant to Section 2.65.100 of this chapter. As a guide, the cost or value of such art work should approximate the amount of the fee that would be paid under Subsection A of this section. The project applicant shall receive credit for the fee required by Subsection A of this section only in the actual amount of the cost of value of art work acquired and installed, plus costs of installation. Only project applicants liable for a fee pursuant to Subsection A of this section that LQ-APP.95 2.65.010 is in excess of five thousand dollars shall be permitted to elect to provide an art work pursuant to this subsection unless such project applicant proposes to furnish art work in excess of the amount of such fee and in a minimum amount of five thousand dollars. (Ord. 173 § 1 (part), 1990) 2.65.060 Projects subject to Art in Public Places Program requirements. A. Requirements. The requirements of this chapter shall apply to all works of construction or rehabilitation for which a building permit is applied for within the City which constitutes or includes the following activities and which are not subject to the exceptions set forth in Subsection B of this section: a. New commercial and industrial construction; 2. Remodeling, repair or reconstruction of existing commercial or industrial property having project costs which exceed one hundred thousand dollars in expenditures; 3. Residential subdivision or development of two units or more, whether by detached single- family residential structures, condominiums, apartments, townhouses or other dwelling units, including the repair, remodeling or renovation of same, having project costs exceeding one hundred thousand dollars; 4. Individual residential units (defined as not more than one single-family dwelling which is to be constructed on an individual lot or parcel) having project costs of more than one hundred thousand dollars. B. Exceptions. The requirements of this chapter shall not apply to the following activities: 1. Public projects; 2. Remodeling, repair or reconstruction of structures which have been damaged by fire, flood, wind, earthquake or other calamity; 3. Nonprofit social service or cultural institution projects; 4. Low to moderate housing projects as defined by household income in Health and Safety Code Section 50093. (Ord. 203 §§ 3, 4, 1992; Ord. 173 § 1 (part), 1990) 2.65.070 Processing of arts application. The requirements and procedures for the processing of Art in Public Places application (an arts application) shall be as follows: A. Upon submission of a project application for a project subject to the requirements of this chapter, the Commzitiity Development Department shall provide to the project applicant a copy of the ordinance codified in this chapter and an arts application form; B. The project applicant shall submit to the Community Development Department a completed arts application form, describing the manner in which the project applicant intends to establish compliance with this chapter. The arts application shall include, for project applicants intending to meet the requirements of this chapter. The arts application shall include, for project applicants intending to meet the requirements of Section 2.65.040(B), a complete description of the art work, the artist creating the art work, a copy of the contract for commissioning or purchasing the art work, if any, the cost or estimated cost of the art work and installation, the agreement or means by which the project applicant will meet the requirements of Section 2.65.100 LQ-APP.95 2.65.010 of this chapter, and a site plan showing the location of the art work, complete with landscaping, lighting and other appropriate accessories to complement and protect the art work; C. The Planning Community Development Department shall, upon receipt of the arts application, submit the arts application to theeonnnitt Commission. D. The Commission shall, within thirty days from the date of submittal of the application by the Planning Community Development Department, submit to the City Council comments and a recommendation on the proposed arts application, based upon the guidelines set forth in Section 2.65.080; E. The arts application shall then be submitted to the City Council, which may ratify the application based upon the guidelines set forth in Section 2.65.080. (Ord 173 § 1 (part), 1990) 2.65.080 Regulations for art work. A. Guidelines. Guidelines for the approval of art work shall include, but are not limited to, the following criteria: a. The art work shall be easily visible and accessible to the public 2. The composition of the art work shall be of appropriate materials in order to be durable against vandalism, theft and weather, and in order to require a low level of maintenance. The review may consider the proposed location of the art work; 3. The art work shall be related in terms of scale, material, form and content to immediate and adjacent buildings and landscaping so that it complements the art site and surrounding environment; 4. The art work, shall be designed and constructed by persons experienced in the production of such art work and recognized by critics and by his or her peers as one who produce works of art; 5. The art work shall be appropriately affixed to its site or display. B. Limitations. The following items are not to be considered as art works: 1. Art objects which are mass produced from a standard design; 2. Reproductions of original art works; 3. Decorative, ornamental or functional elements which are designed by a building architect as opposed to an artist commissioned for the purpose of creating the art work; 4. Landscape architecture and landscape gardening except where these elements are designed or approved by the artist and are an integral part of the art work as created by the artist; 5. Services or utilities necessary to operate or maintain the art work. C. Use and Maintenance of Art Work. Art work acquired by expenditures from the Art in Public Places Fund shall be the property of and maintained by the City. The City may dispose of such* art work at its discretion, subject to any agreement with artists or otherwise relating to any specific art work. The art works acquired and installed by a project applicant for which credit for the fee required by Section 2.65.040 is given pursuant to Section 2.65.100 of this chapter shall be the property of and maintained by the project applicant, except to Section 2.65.100 of this chapter shall be the property of and maintained by the project applicant, except to the extent the City has rights in or to the art work or the display thereof pursuant to the agreement with the project applicant LQ-APP.95 2.65.010 entered into pursuant to Section 2.65100. Alternatively, artwork acquired by the project applicant in lieu of the fee may be donated to the City to be maintained by the City. (Ord. 173 § 1 (part), 1990) 2.65.090 Development fee. There will be, and there is hereby established, an Art in Public Places fee ( referred to occasionally in this chapter as the "fee" or "fees") to be collected as follows: A. Fees are to be collected with respect to all projects prior to or at the time of issuance of a building permit, except in the case of residential developments or more than one dwelling unit, where the fee shall be collect on a pro rata basis for each dwelling when it receives its final inspection or certificate of occupancy, whichever occurs first. The Director of the Planning Community Development Development Department, or other such person appointed by him/her, is hereby appointed as the authorized individual to collect the fees; B. All residential structures whose project costs is in excess of one hundred thousand dollars will be charged a fee hereunder equal to the greater of: 1. 1/4 of one percent for that portion of project cost in excess of one hundred thousand dollars, or 2. Twenty dollars; C. All commercial developments, industrial developments and nonresidential development within the City will be charged a fee hereunder equal to the greater of: 1. '/2 of one percent of the project costs, or 2. Twenty dollars; D. The fees will be collected prior to the issuance of any building permit commencing on the date the ordinance codified in this chapter becomes effective. (Ord. 203 § 5, 1992; Ord. 173 § 1 (part), 1990) 2.65.100 Credits -Agreements as to particular projects. A. A project applicant may apply for a credit against the fee otherwise. required to be paid by the project applicant under Section 2.65.050 of this chapter, of one hundred percent of the cost of an art work and costs of installation for including an art work in an art site subject to this chapter, provided that such work shall be approved by the Commission, and the project shall enter into a written agreement with the City providing that the art work shall be installed, maintained and open to public view at reasonable hours for a minimum period of twenty-five years after installation. The written agreement may be extended by the City for ten year increments. B. Nothing herein shall restrict the City Council from waiving the requirements of this chapter, in whole or in part, with respect to any project otherwise subject to the provisions of this chapter, provided that the City Council determines that the project applicant has entered into an agreement with the City making provision for the acquisition and installation of art works in connection with the development of the project which addresses the goals and aims of this chapter in a manner equally favorable to or on a basis more favorable to the City than would be achieved by strict compliance with this chapter. (Ord. 173 § 1 (part), 1990) LQ-APP.95 2.65.010 2.65.110 Art in Public Places Fund. A. Accounting. The fees imposed pursuant to Section 2.65.090 of this chapter and any other monies collected in accordance with provisions of this chapter shall be deposited in a separate account, entitled the "Art in Public Place Fund." The City Manager or his/her designee shall establish accounting records sufficient to identify and control these funds. The amounts held in the Art in Public Places Fund shall otherwise be accounted for, deposited, invested and expensed as provided by law and the practices and policies of the City. The account containing these funds may be invested along with other monies of the City and the investment earnings thereon shall be used for and be subject to the same restrictions established in subsection B. B. Use of Fund. Expenditures of the fees collected in the Art in Public Places Fund may include the following: 1. The cost of art work and its installation; 2. The cost of purchase or lease or art sites; 3. Water works, landscaping, lighting and other objects which are an integral part of the art work; 4. Frames, mats, pedestals and other objects necessary for the proper presentation of the art work; 5. Walls, pools, landscaping or other architectural or landscape architectural elements necessary for the proper aesthetic and structural placement of the art work; 6. Expenditures for maintenance and repair of art work; 7. Administrative expenses to otherwise implement any provision of this chapter, however, in no event shall said administrative expenses exceed five percent of the total funds in the account on July 1 of any year nor twenty-five thousand dollars in any fiscal year. D. Endowments. The Art in Public Places Fund shall also be used as a depository for endowments, bequests, grants or donations. Such sums may be expended as set forth in subsection B of this section and for art exhibitions or displays as approved by the City Council. E. Replacement. For those art works that have been purchased with monies from the Art in Public Places Fund or donated to the City, the City may determine to sell or exchange existing art works for replacement art works. Any funds obtained from the sale of art work shall be credited to the Art in Public Places Fund. Art work owned privately and on display by in -lieu agreement may be exchanged with City Council approval or the original fee paid to the Art in Public Places Fund. F. Reimbursement. In the event fees have not been committed for a use as specified in Subsection B within two years of their collection, the fees in the Art in Public Places Fund shall be distributed by the Director of the Planning Community Development Department to the person or entity who has paid the fees or in any other manner permitted by law. (Ord. 173 § 1 (part), 1990) 2.65.120 Implementation and administration of this chapter. The City may enter into agreements, upon recommendation of the Commission or otherwise, for the purchase or commissioning of artworks, the purchase and the lease of art sites, for insuring art works, for the display of art works on art sites not owned by the City, "for installation of art work or the repair, maintenance of servicing thereof and for or relating to all other matters necessary or appropriate to implement the Art in Public Places Program. LQ-APP.95 ITEM V. B. ART IN PUBLIC PLACES MEETING MINUTES LA QUINTA CITY HALL - SESSION ROOM OCTOBER 2, 1995 The regular meeting of the Art in Public Places Committee was called to order at 3:07 P.M. b Chairman Nard. Y I• ROLL CALL: Committee Members Sharon Kennedy, Michelle Klein, Carolyn Lair, Elaine Reynolds, Rosita Shames, John Walling, Chairman Nard STAFF PRESENT: ' Planning Manager Christine di Iorio, Executive Secretary Betty Sawyer II. CONSENT CALENDAR: A. There being no corrections to the Minutes of September 11, 1995, it was moved .and seconded by Committee Members Lair/Shames to approve the minutes as presented. Unanimously approved. III. PUBLIC COMMENT: None IV. FINANCIAL STATEMENT A. There being no changes to the Statement, it was moved and seconded by Committee Members Klein/Reynolds to accept the report as presented. Unanimously approved. V. BUSINESS SESSION A: Joint meeting in Palm Sp 'nes: 1. Staff informed the Committee that the next scheduled meeting would be November 16, 1995, at 2:00 P.M. at the Palm Springs Hilton. Palm Springs would be hosting the meeting. The Cities of Indio, Cathedral City, and 29 Palms would be speaking on their programs. In addition, Carolyn Lair would make a presentation on the Bear Creek Program. 2. Other topics discussed were, How to Build a Better Commission/Committee; Public Education Regarding Public Art. APP 10-2 Art in Public Places Minutes October 2, 1995 B. Art Tour 1. Committee Member Carolyn Lair reminded the Committee that a tour had been tentatively scheduled for October to see the artwork at the City of Escondido and San Diego-UCSD. Members discussed possible dates. Following the discussion, Committee Member Lair was asked to schedule the tour with the respective agencies for Thursday, October 19th. 2. Committee Member Lair gave a slide presentation on public art. C. Jury Committee/Alternate Selection 1. Chairman Nard informed the Committee that Rosita Shamis, John Walling, and Nancy Nard had been selected as the Jury Committee and asked for an Alternate. Elaine Reynolds was selected to serve as the Alternate. The Committee would meet immediately following the regular meeting to review the proposals submitted for the Retention Basin project. Each would select four artists to review their proposals, discuss the proposal with the artist, and make a recommendation back to the APP Committee. 2. Committee Member Reynolds asked if the APP Committee would have the opportunity to review the proposals. Staff informed the Committee that the artwork was available to the Committee for review in the Community Development Department. 3. Staff explained that the Jury Selection Committee would review the artwork and make a recommendation to the APP, who would review all the artwork -in conjunction with the Jury Selection Committee's recommendation. 4. Committee Member Lair reviewed the process of a Jury Selection Committee. Committee members then reviewed the criteria list. 5. Committee Member Kennedy stated that the Community Services Commission, while reviewing different proposals, used a grid evaluation sheet that enabled them to score each of the proposals. Staff stated they would prepare such a form for the next APP meeting. Discussion followed regarding the art selection process. APP 10-2 Art in Public Places Minutes October 2, 1995 D. OTHER: Committee members asked staff about any new projects that had been submitted to the City that might potentially be required to have public art. Staff discussed new projects that were coming before the City. VI. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business it was moved and seconded by Committee Members Walling/Shamis to adjourn this meeting of the Art in Public Places Committee to. a special meeting on October 19, 1995, at 7:30 A.M. This meeting of the Art in Public Places Committee was adjourned at 4:37 P.M. Unanimously approved. The Jury Selection Committee met following the regular meeting and adjourned at 5:08 P.M. APP 10-2 ART IN PUBLIC PLACES MEETING MINUTES LA QUINTA CITY HALL - OCTOBER 19, 1995 The regular meeting of the Art in Public Places Committee was called to order at 7:45 A.M. by Chairman Nard. I. ROLL CALL: Commissioners Michelle Klein, Carolyn Lair, Elaine Reynolds, Rosita Shamis, John Walling, Chairman Nard. Commissioners Lair/Walling moved to excuse Commissioner Kennedy. Unanimously approved STAFF PRESENT: Community Development Director Jerry Herman, Executive Secretary Betty Sawyer II. PUBLIC COMMENT: None III. BUSINESS SESSION 1. General Discussion: a. Commissioner Lair explained the programs as the Commission traveled to the City of Escondido. b. Commissioners discussed the importance of having a Council Member attend their meetings as it was a method of keeping Council informed on what was happening. 2. Escondido a. Ms. Susan Pollack, presented their art program to the Commissioners, followed by a tour of their Cultural Art Center and artwork that had been placed in the Park. The Art Center was built mostly with Redevelopment Funds. b. The Cultural Center is under the City's jurisdiction but run by a separate board. C. Public Art Commission is a City entity and was established in 1989. d. The fee structure for public art is based on a fee for all construction. It was established at $.30 a square foot after the first 1800 square feet. e. They developed "Developer Guidelines" as a handout to developers as they go through the filing process. f. If an artist consultant is utilized his/her fee cannot be more than 10% of the entire fee paid by the developer. APP10-19 Art in Public Places Minutes October 19, 1995 g. A Performance Bond is required as a protection for the artist. h. Residents within 300 feet (or larger) of the proposed artwork are mailed a noticed of the proposed artwork to be installed. I. A model is placed in a public location to allow residents an opportunity to comment and five an opinion. j . Faced with maintenance costs, they are now looking at setting aside funds from the fees collected to cover the cost of maintenance. 3. Carlsbad a. Ms. Nussbaum took the Commissioners on a visual tour of several art pieces throughout the City of Carlsbad. b. Commissioners discussed the advantages and disadvantages to a temporary art program. VI. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business it was moved and seconded by Commission Members Walling/Shamis to adjourn this meeting of the Art in Public Places Committee to a regular meeting on November 6, 1995, at 3:00 P.M. This meeting of the Art in Public Places Committee was adjourned at 7:34 P.M. Unanimously approved. APP10-19 ITEM VIII. A. �► C.v��..'e vim. �.� �• � L.:_ �.. --- � is �-c �-.L..�.�C V�L�.�.. - � �t�r• M. �S °J i � Cam., WIT �,,�s��?.�� 1'2...�5 '�7\�• -� '� �� �..0��j lam >�s�.a . I 1 `� ��.:' '�^F�� Wes. �rc,�.�.,��� ®"'�' ��•�� �'�. �`�S c,..�. a►�,.�`S�a \CS'� ��► �J '�'o Esc ��`'o�. \ c, N `� �G� 1,.�, 46vW-- Salzburg —breaking with z � Z��`s��"'� ! tradition c!jjO n�-� ��. Andrew Clark The problem with Salzburg is that however hard you try to realize a big idea, know for sure you are never going to achieve it. That is how this festival has alv �• '1► v been. The people here don't want change. Their idea of theatre is divorced f real life —they see it as a passive, decorative activity. They don't want to be sti lated mentally or intellectually. I agree art should entertain. but it must also i NA questions and stir us up. Gerard Mortier, August l saw►? -- In the apt words of one German newspaper headline, Salzburg this summer `Sunny, with occasional thunder'. The 1995 festival was Mortier's fourth as a tic director and the biggest commercial success since the festival was founde( •�;� t.. � �5ii�2 years ago. A new production of La traviata, to be revived next summer, will g Sch36m (£2.25m), of which a third is clear profit. Lulu sold out in February, N�j--iD the concert programme was studded with crowd -pulling names like Abb: Domingo, Mehta and Solti. The artistic balance -sheet also looked healthy. Five years ago, few could I imagined that theatre directors like Peter Stein, Patrice Chereau, Luc Bo and Robert Wilson would work simultaneously in Salzburg, as they did this s mer. Across the board, Mortier has succeeded in modernizing the program introducing fresh talent and promoting anti -culinary interpretations of classics. Audiences flocked to performances of music by Stravinsky, B Messiaen and other 20th-century composers previously ignored by the festi The `Zeitfluss' contemporary music series attracted a big following. There were no fewer than five new opera productions —though nothing rr modern than a Bart6k-Schoenberg double -bill starring Jessye Norman. I did see it, but German critics welcomed the cool pictorialism of Robert Wils, staging and singled out Christoph von Dohnanyi's conducting for special pry More than ever, the 1995 festival established Dohnanyi—Mortier's for patron in Frankfurt and Hamburg —as an intellectual and musical stand; bearer of the Mortier era in Salzburg. Although the repertory was deemed conservative, Mortier packaged each 1 duction in a way that represented a break with Salzburg tradition. Le nozz era today is to get conductors to think theatrically. c make music so beautifully and not want the work ad my bust-up with Riccardo Muti in 1992, I have heatre. He seems a very intuitive person. It is as if ful—sex doesn't exist in the theatre, it's only for is a world where there is no tragedy. It's very him together with Peter Stein. I don't know if it nteresting for example, in `La forza del destino'. further than what was done with `Traviata'. 1 n in a certain harmony with him. dividing the new Salzburg from the old been so s productions of Der Rosenkavalier and La travi- ;hest musical standard, thanks to the conducting cuss and Riccardo Muti in Verdi, and the Vienna ing. Both productions were huge crowd-pleasers, of the Grosses Festspielhaus. But while Der staking display of theatrical imagination, in an - the 1990s, La traviata was treated to the most icle. rice Mortier had to pay to retain the services of clemenza di Tito in 1992, Mortier's first season, :aging he regarded as contrary to the spirit of the tre belongs anywhere north of the Alps, it is in odernized Salzburg. What Mortier cannot deny i Muti brings to Italian opera. Nor can he ignore )f Salzburg successes in the Karajan era, and is .ditionalists who bankroll the festival. had to give him carte blanche. The resulting luis Pasqual and designed by Luciano Damiani, rt-in-costume and the Vienna opera ball. The its stand -and -deliver postures and static choral °ries of anonymous drop -cloths, conveniently scenes requiring intimacy. A background gauze itrative mimes, while the party capers in Act 2 mp of bemusing irrelevance. ramatic void. Unable to strike up any spark of ind Frank Lopardo's Alfredo made their appeal i stopping to address or embrace each other at ngarian protegee of Muti at La Scala, sounded :tite, attractive and a confident mover, she had ut not the size of voice for the second. Note by schooled, taken as a whole it was small-scale. ation and romantic ardour —it was easy to see to cnet P-ml CTrnv(-q in tho r)•)rr u(, },•,rl •)I,„ �titzhsz� Qc ��Q- vsa � 5 illuminating sense of the music's dramatic purpose. The pizzicato strings in `De' miei bollenti spiriti', the feverish quality of the card -playing music, the pianis- simo accompaniment to Violetta's bed -ridden aria —all underlined the music's filigree quality and fragile emotion. Muti's interpretation sounded less staccato than Solti's, more drilled and dynamically contrasted than Kleiber's. The Vienna Philharmonic responded with extraordinary precision and refinement. Was this worth the price of a poor staging? On balance, yes. Muti had his triumph and Pam from the Karajan era, when thi of show would have passed unchallenged. ests a change in audience taste, from which Monier_can-drams t wil ti draw the logical conclusio ably not. If 100,000 people come to the festival, I don't expect 100,000 to be sensitive to shared feeling between `The Cherry Orchard' and the Marschallin's monologue al the end of the first act of `Rosenkavalier'. If just 1,000 have this sensitivity, it's enough. That's my Jesuit education. If only a few see the light, it's already an evo- lution. To be con d by Herbert Wernicke's staging of Der Rosenkavalier the �ft after La traviata was to minded that time and taste have ta.kRnld big -leap since Karajan's 1983 production, and that this ricTi�ollop of Viennese sentiment and voluptuousness is open to more than one interpretation. Wernicke pre- sented Rosenkavalier as a mirror of time —reflecting not just the imaginary 18th- century Vienna concocted by Strauss and Hofmannsthal, but the era of the opera's composition and our own f n-de-siecle. The stage was lined with angled mirrors, providing trompe l'oeil images of the • Andrea Rost in the title role of Lluis Pasqual's new production of `La traviata' at Salzburg Cruise ship or romna GARY STOLLER'S IMPORTANT article on the flaws of roll on, roll off ("ro-ro") ferryboats [Stop Press, August 1995] reminded me that some cruise ships are former car ferries. According to a re- port on cruise ships by the General Ac- counting Office, 139 cruise ships use U.S. ports annually, but there is no record as to how many used to be ferries. In 1984, a former car ferry, with about 500 people aboard on an Alaskan cruise, ran aground at Maud Island, near the Seymour Narrows in British Columbia. Although there were no deaths, the ship eventually sank. Hermann Paul Schlander Palm Desert, California Two-thirds of a trip AT A CHARITY AUCTION, MY wife and I made the winning bid on two round-trip tickets to Europe, for about two-thirds of the retail price. We later discovered that these tickets were sulk ject to blackout periods and space ava* - ability —but were assured by the airl' e that our seats would be confirmed. At check -in the agent told us that so e segments of our itinerary were overs d and that we might be denied boarding o asked to leave the aircraft somewhere en route. She told us that the tickets we held did not guarantee us seats on the aircraft. Luckily, we did get seats. Any savings offset by the inconvenienc poor treatment by the airli fact that we were unable tc��- quent-flier miles. John L. Napieticocki Sterling Heights, Michigan Aix marks the spot KUDOS TO MARY BLUME AND photographer Chris Sanders for opening up a flood of memories of contemporary Provence ["Pure Provence," August 19951. I recall a time when my profession as a teacher of French permitted a family camping summer in France, with em- phasis on the environs of Pertuis, Avi- gnon, and Aix-en-Provence. The window which Blume opened re- vealed that not a great deal has changed in Aix. Even so, this city is one that can be visited and revisited, each time being an e pleasant feeling g with an old frienere time is standing still. Aix has continued to b)ne or varied intellectual and culsue with many small atelieroo where one can pass hougperfect one's artistic procp - sue linguistic studies or acaldigs. ere is something level Merest. JKemprecos -ifard,Nv�w Jersey �N'T MISS VISITING THE I E- um on the outskirts of Aix devoted to the works of Victor Vasarely. The bril- liant geometric designs shift as you look at them. There are tapestries two dories high. , 3)r Airlines' Wings: Freedom to Fly program, which began in early Wings is a two -and specifically designed t not only manage their but actually look for them. The Wings apl with no more than each seminar. The se held monthly at var. the United States, are west Airlines aviatior eluding flight -crew r censed psychologist. Participants pract relaxing techniques hangar, tour the pile tors, and take a roux flight on the last day Northwest's success percent, with all sen completing the grad airline will continue each participant for seminar. The cost of Call 612-726-7733. ly clears thi A\SjA NONSMOK re Nichole Bernie s r nking world of i P - ss, August 1995], ral with the commen tries mentioned. .. . . E 4"M low O MEOW• b�- Ring Cycle 1: June 9 - 9, 1999 Ring Cgcle 2: June 10-15, 1999 Rrizona Opera presents the magnificence of the Ring amid the scenic grandeur (1r um`rjr;�,� 7v1.�.fihwest. Flagstaff, Rrizona. e RRIZURR opafl %11RROSS GERERRI DIRECTOR -HenrN Holt RIRG RRTMIC DIRECTOR Festival tickets now on sale for the first annual Hrizona Opera Ring. Call 1-602-266-7494 to order tickets or to receive the 1999 RIRG brochure. Productions of The Bing made possible through grants from the Flinn and the Carol Franc Buck Foundations USAir BRITISH AIRWAYS is the official airline of RdMa Opera