Public Art Review Process

Applicants submitting a development application for a new or substantially remodeled building of 5,000 sq. ft. or greater located within one of the downtown or multi-family zoning districts, will need to plan to incorporate public art into the project.  The purpose of the public art requirement is to contribute to the cultural enrichment of the community.  Please review chapter 6-26 (Public Art) LMC.

The developer should consider the public art installation as an integral part of its development project.  Thoughts and concepts surrounding public art should happen at the very beginning of the process. The placement of a well-sited work of art will enhance the success of the overall project and have a positive impact on the city and its residents. If the site is not within public view, or public art cannot be accommodated, a fee may be paid in-lieu of installing physical art. 

To expedite the building permit process the applicant should begin the public art approval process as soon as possible. Applicants can expect to attend a minimum of two meeting with the Lafayette Public Art Committee (PAC) for approval.

A member of the PAC is assigned as a liaison to every active development project with a public art requirement. The liaison is available to meet with the applicant to discuss artists and artwork that will both complement the architecture of the building, the site and the Lafayette public art collection. If you have questions, you may contact Public Art staff member Jenny Rosen at jrosen@lovelafayette.org.

Key Steps

• Pay the Public Art application fee of $875.00 through the Planning & Building Department

• Consult with assigned PAC liaison on initial design ideas based on budget and location options. Identify 1 to 3 potential artists from PAC vetted list and/or developer. It is important for the PAC to review an artist’s work and provide preliminary approval before any contracts or money are promised or exchanged with potential artists. Please consult the inventory of the City of Lafayette's current Public Art Collection when considering potential artists and artwork. It is the intention of the PAC to curate a diverse collection of public artwork.

• Meet with full PAC at regular monthly meeting to review design ideas and artists, modify as needed, and receive approval to solicit design proposals from the 1 to 3 potential artist(s).

• Engage artist(s) for design proposals. The cost of these proposals can be part of the overall public art for projects budget. A design proposal should include preliminary sketches of the proposed artwork and an artist resume and portfolio of work.

• Present design proposal(s) to full PAC at regular monthly meeting. The following items will be required for each proposal:
  • Narrative describing proposed artwork
  • Scaled drawings, maquettes, and/or other material samples to clearly represent the piece proposed for the site
  • Budget for design, fabrication, transportation, and installation of art
  • Resume of the artist
  • Written maintenance agreement and budget for maintenance of the artwork
  • Completed plaque form

  In collaboration with PAC, a proposal is selected (in rare cases additional design work may be required) and formally approved by the PAC.

• Once the proposal has received final approval by the PAC, the committee will recommend its approval to City Council, and final action will be taken by the City Council in accordance with Lafayette’s Public Art Ordinance.  A maintenance agreement, recorded against the property, may also be required. 

• With the public art submittal requirements met, the development application can be approved by Design Review and/or Planning Commission.

• Building permit is issued upon receipt of a public art security deposit. The amount of the security shall be calculated as one-half of one percent of a project's preliminary construction or alteration costs. The security deposit will be held until the final construction or alteration costs are submitted. The city manager or designee may require reasonable documentation of the costs of any additional art prior to releasing security deposit funds.

Please note that Public Art Committee meetings are held the first Wednesday of every month. Therefore, the swiftest public art review process may take three months. Please plan accordingly.

The Lafayette Public Art Committee produces standardized plaques for artwork created under the City’s public art requirement. These plaques, featuring a QR code and Braille, are designed to provide educational content and make artwork accessible to the visually impaired. The production and installation fee is $1500 and is included in the public art project cost. Please ensure this fee is included in the artwork budget submitted to the PAC as a condition for project approval. Please provide the following information for the plaque: 

• A description of the work for someone who is visually impaired. Use clear and precise language to help them form a mental image of the piece. For example, in the first sentence or two, include the main subject, size, orientation, and medium. 
• An artist statement (<300 words) about the concept for the work
• An artist bio focusing on relevant education and installations (<200 words)
• The title of the work
• The name of the artist as they wish it to appear on the plaque
• The year of the work
• The media

In order to approve public art, the Public Art Committee and the City Council shall at a minimum consider the criteria listed below:

Aesthetic quality. The foremost consideration will be the quality of the proposed artwork as assessed by the critical review of the PAC. The provenance, reputation and/or promise of the artist may also be key considerations.

Relationship to the collection and to the community. The proposed artwork will be analyzed for its potential relationship to the City’s present collection, the requirements of this chapter, and whether it will enhance the aesthetic quality of the community.

Compatibility. Conceptual compatibility and appropriateness of the proposed artwork to the surrounding built and/or natural environment will be factors for consideration, and will include scale, form, content, and design.

Materials, fabrication, and installation. The PAC will evaluate the existing artwork’s material or the artist’s proposed materials and their appropriateness as regards structural and surface integrity, protection against theft, vandalism, public safety, and weathering, and an analysis of long-term maintenance needs. The PAC will also evaluate the proposed method of installation and an evaluation of safety and structural factors involved in the installation. In some cases, professional engineering review and documentation may be required.

The following items will not be considered as public art:

• Art objects which are mass-produced from a standard design;
• Reproductions of original artworks;
• Decorative, ornamental or functional elements including details and fenestration of a building which are designed by the project architect as opposed to an artist commissioned for the purpose of creating the artwork; or landscape architecture and landscape

• Municipal Code Chapter 6-26, Public Art
• Existing Public Art Collection

If you have questions, you may contact Public Art Liaison Jenny Rosen at jrosen@lovelafayette.org.

We look forward to working on your project and with your project team.