Issue link: http://townofcary.uberflip.com/i/320439
Introduction 1 The 2012 Public Art Master Plan provides a new platform for public art policies, g uidelines and recommendations Executive Summary The Town of Cary has been a leader in its support for and commissioning of art. The arts have been and will continue to be an invaluable part of Cary's culture. The freedom of expression, innovative ideas, and enhanced experience of public spaces strengthens the sense of commun ity, promotes civic identity, and transforms places. Cary's Public Art Program complements other To wn cultural arts programs and venues, including the Cary Arts Center, the Koka Booth Amphithe a tre, the Sertoma Amphitheatre in Bond Park, the Page - Walker Arts & History Center, as well as Cary's annual arts and crafts festivals. The 2001 Public Art Master Plan was an important milestone in the development of Cary's Public Art Program. The recommendations in the plan led to the establishment of the Public Art Advisory Board, the position of a Public Art Coordinator and a policy framework that contributed to the success of today's program. Ten years later the Plan still provides useful policies and guidelines ; h owever, with any public (or private) program, the Plan should be updated and refined to reflect physical and d emographic changes that have occurred over the past ten years, and new ideas and opportunities that surfaced in the creation and administration of public art projects . The 2012 Cary Public Art Master Plan is an update of the 2001 Plan and provides a new platform for public art policies, guidelines and recommendations. Through a community outreach process that included focus groups, public forums, workshops, and interviews, the 2012 Public Art Master Plan offers new ideas and recommendations for the Cary Public Art Program. The highlights of the 2012 Cary Public Art Master Plan include the following: • The 2012 Cary Art Master Plan (hereina fter "Plan") suggests venues, art types, and themes for public art based on public input and an urban design analysis of existing and desired conditions. Specific public art projects are not recommended in this Plan because the form and expression of art is part of the creative process initiated by artists. • This Plan identifies numerous educational and outreach programs for implementation by the Public Art Advisory Board and Public Art Coordinator. Public awareness is critical to increasing the understanding, knowledge, and appreciation of public art projects. • As participants in the public outreach process of this master plan supported a greater diversity of forms and types of public ar t in Cary, this Plan provides an overview of types of public art and suggests venues and themes for increasing the diversity of Cary's public art collection. Town Council unanimously adopted the Public Art Master Plan following a public hearing conducte d at the January 10, 2013 Council meeting.