Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Art topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Art in Public Places Board selects two finalists for Manolo Reyes Park, raises outreach budget to $6,000
Summary
The City of Miami Art in Public Places Board approved two finalist artists for a public-art commission at Manolo Reyes Park and increased the community engagement allocation from $3,000 to $6,000. The board voted 5-0 to authorize staff to proceed with site visits and for artists to provide revised estimates.
The Art in Public Places Board on an approximately 5-0 vote approved finalist artists Carolla Bravo and Javier Cortada for a public-art commission at Manolo Reyes Park and authorized increasing community engagement funding from $3,000 to $6,000.
The action, filed as AIPP File ID 17690 and taken under Chapter 62, Article 16 of the City of Miami code, covers artworks to be integrated at the renovated park at approximately 6030 Southwest Second Street (formerly West End Park). The board approved staff’s recommendation to move forward with a scaled portion of each shortlisted proposal and to double the outreach allocation to support workshops and educational materials tied to the project.
Board members and staff said the commission will emphasize community engagement with nearby Fairlawn Elementary School and that selected artists will perform site visits and submit updated, size- and cost-adjusted proposals before final contracts are executed. According to staff, the city previously allocated a total of $154,000 for this public-art project, including $5,000 in honoraria paid to five shortlisted artists ($1,000 each), and $146,000 designated for creation, acquisition, permitting and installation. The $3,000 set aside originally for community engagement is being increased to $6,000 to support educational signage and school workshops; unused outreach funds will revert to the same fund.
Professional Advisory Committee (PAC) members unanimously recommended moving forward with two components: Carolla Bravo’s open-trellis structure (a scaled-down version of her original submission, including a participatory ribbon element) and Javier Cortada’s ceramic mural focused on Everglades birds to be sited near the splash pad or on a nearby high-visibility wall. Staff said Cortada’s mural component was estimated at about $24,000 in his initial submission; Carolla’s initial line-item estimate was approximately $130,000, which staff said will be reduced after a site visit and revised design to fit available park surfaces.
Several board members pressed staff on specifics the board should have before approval: per-piece budgets, final dimensions, materials, and installation locations. Staff responded that the agreement package will include budget limits and that artists have been told to submit updated estimates after a scheduled site visit; the resolution conditions the installations on available funding and on artists’ compliance with the capped project budget.
The board’s motion formally authorized staff to proceed with the two finalist artists and the increased outreach allocation, and directed staff to return with updated scope and budget information. The recorded roll-call vote on the motion was 5-0.
Staff updates given later in the meeting noted temporary staffing changes in the public-art division and upcoming exhibitions and partnerships related to other city public-art programs.
