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Tustin Public Art Commission approves artist solicitation and picks train station as preferred bench site
Summary
The Tustin Public Art Commission approved an artist invitation for the Noble Winds functional bench project, clarified a $7,500 project budget that includes artist fee/materials/sealant, and named the Tustin Train Station the primary installation site with Bark Barracks dog park as a backup.
The Tustin Public Art Commission on April 15 approved an invitation to artists to express interest in creating a functional public bench, and selected the Tustin Train Station as the preferred installation site with Bark Barracks at Tustin Legacy (the dog‑park area) as a secondary location.
Director Clanton told commissioners the commission had already chosen the Big Bend/Noble Winds bench design and staff proposed an "invitation to express interest" rather than a formal RFQ or RFP. "Everything pretty much everything you see in white on the bench, can be either painted or it can be a vinyl wrap similar to the Creative Signals project," Clanton said, explaining the two primary execution options.
Commissioners pressed staff on durability and pay. Staff said painting was estimated at $7,500 and wrapping closer to $4,000–$5,000, and recommended the invitation clarify that the $7,500 budget "includes artist fee, materials and sealant." Commissioners also discussed whether to invite more than one artist to prepare proposals and whether to pay small stipends for those who prepare designs; staff noted that paying stipends (they discussed a figure around $500) would be separate from the project budget.
Commissioner Lomax moved to approve the artist invitation with the edits discussed — removing the word "approximate," clarifying the budget covers artist fee/materials/sealant, and specifying submission instructions and deadline — a motion seconded and approved by the commission.
On location, staff presented two recommended sites: the dog‑park area at Tustin Legacy's Legacy Park (a large decomposed‑granite open area that ties to the upcoming Sculpture Walk) and a paved spot at the Tustin Train Station (a high‑visibility travel corridor). Commissioners weighed visibility, likely use patterns, ADA clearance and maintenance concerns. "The train station is...some people's first introduction to our city," one commissioner said in support; others said the dog park could be a better "hangout" spot for photos and families.
A motion to select the Tustin Train Station as the primary site and Bark Barracks at Tustin Legacy as a secondary site if the train station proved infeasible was moved, seconded and approved.
Staff said the bench is expected to be delivered in July and that the call for artists would be issued the following week with the edits the commission requested. The commission asked staff to clarify submission instructions (including the publicart@tustinca.org email destination), set a clear deadline, and indicate whether stipends will be paid to invited designers. The commission will review artist submissions and potentially select one or more artists at a future meeting.
Next steps: staff will issue the revised invitation, accept expressions of interest by the published deadline, and return to the commission to review proposals and select an artist or artists.
