Arts commission recommends city accept Cardiff sculpture, asks council to add new sculpture pad

The Encinitas Commission for the Arts on Jan. 5 recommended that the city accept a donated sculpture already installed in Cardiff-by-the-Sea and asked the city to create a replacement sculpture pad in Cardiff prior to the next round of the sculpture loan program.

The recommendation followed public testimony from members of Encinitas Friends of the Arts and the artist/program founder and staff reports on a community survey. Department staff reported that the survey garnered 299 responses and that respondents "overwhelmingly" favored accepting the sculpture, keeping it in place and creating a new pedestal in Cardiff.

During the discussion commissioners noted the sculpture loan program was initially designed as temporary placements and that accepting donated works could reduce the number of available loan pads unless the city adds sites. Commissioners therefore drafted a motion recommending that the city accept the donation in its current location and, if accepted, build a new pedestal in Cardiff so the sculpture loan program retains the planned number of pads available in the community.

A motion stating those points was moved (by an unnamed commissioner recorded as speaker 11) and seconded (speaker 9). The clerk recorded that the motion passed with all commissioners voting yes. The transcript does not list a numeric roll-call tally; the meeting record shows the vote as unanimous.

Encinitas Friends of the Arts (represented in testimony by Naimae Woodward — who introduced herself in remarks with a variant spelling: Naomi Woodworth) urged the commission not to delay acceptance, saying the work was designed for the site and represents private investment that requires no city purchase funds. Diane Sabek, who helped design the temporary sculpture program, told commissioners the original plan envisioned adding pedestals when pieces were purchased, which supporters said makes building a new Cardiff pad consistent with the program’s intent.

Commissioners requested that the staff provide the full survey results when available and emphasized the recommendation would be forwarded to the City Council for final action.

What happens next: The commission’s recommendation will be transmitted to the City Council for its consideration; the staff and commissioners indicated they will provide the underlying survey data to inform council deliberations. The transcript-recorded motion and vote do not include a numeric roll call in the audio record provided.