Alexandria officials are crafting an ambitious new plan to fund public art using hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer cash, and by extracting contributions from private businesses.
The City Council on Tuesday will discuss the creation of a new “public art master plan,” which officials say will solidify Alexandria’s commitment — both fiscally and legislatively — to the arts.
“The purpose of this plan is to help us think through where we would put public art and how much of it we want,” said Councilman Rob Krupicka, the council’s liaison to the city’s arts commission.
“It makes sense for us to have a solid public art policy and funding approach, and we don’t have either right now,” Krupicka said.
The city’s plan as it now stands would allocate a percentage of Alexandria’s capital improvement budget to arts programs each year beginning in fiscal 2012. The estimated taxpayer contribution would be $300,000 to start, and would balloon to $600,000 by fiscal 2016.
Private property developers would be asked to pony up cash based on the size of new development projects, or expansions of existing properties.
The current proposal calls for a “voluntary contribution” of $1 per square foot of gross floor area for all new developments and property expansions by fiscal 2016. Places of worship, affordable housing units, private schools and child care centers would be exempt.
Pat Miller, chairwoman of Alexandria’s arts commissions, said she anticipated some pushback from developers. But she said the private sector should support the program once a contribution target is identified.
“I don’t think [private developers] are against the concept, it’s just finding the appropriate figure that is important to get their support,” she said.
Miller said neighboring Arlington and Fairfax counties had instituted similar arts plans, and that it is appropriate for both the city and private businesses to support the arts.
Krupicka said changes to the plan are likely before the City Council holds a final vote later this summer.
“There’s still some work that needs to be done on the funding strategy, given the realities of our current economy,” Krupicka said.
