Provisions for maintenance in contracts for public art

Rebecca A. Rushfield <wittert [at] juno__com> writes

>Having become involved in a situation in which a site-specific
>sculpture on a college campus is in need of conservation work, but
>there are no funds available to perform that work, I wondered if
>anyone on the Distlist has knowledge of any case in which a
>provision for maintenance funds was included in either the original
>contract for a commissioned work of public art or in the acceptance
>agreement for a donation of an outdoor sculpture or other public
>work to an institution.

Like many conservators, I became involved in my local community Art
Commission and helped them to see the importance of considering
conservation issues when reviewing donations or commissions of
public art works and of having provisions for the care and
maintenance (along with guidelines) included, to resolve as many
funding issues as possible, prior to any acceptance by the city
governing body.  Once the governing body had been made aware of
risks/liabilities and cost benefit analysis it was obvious to them
that it was in the best interest of the city to have such
provisions.  I'm aware of several cities where this is now the
standard procedure.

V. Montana Ryan
Assistant Professor for Paintings Conservation


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 15:60
                  Distributed: Tuesday, March 5, 2002
                       Message Id: cdl-15-60-004
                                  ***