In Frisco, public art a common sight, Yazzy's at www.williamverdult.com

In Frisco, displays of art are not reserved for the elite. They're an everyday occurrence at nearly every public venue within the city. 
 
MIKE STONE/Special Contributor
Artist Robin Brailsford and Frisco Public Art Manager Richard Oldham discuss one of Ms. Brailsford's creations.The public art displays are part of a program that was founded in 2002, after the Frisco City Council passed an ordinance calling for 2 percent of the city's capital project funds to be dedicated to public art.

The program itself is nothing new: States such as Oregon, Wisconsin and Louisiana, as well as major cities including Philadelphia and New York, adopted the program as early as the mid-1970s.

Frisco's program is unusual because it was established when the city had only 60,000 residents, said Richard Oldham, the city's arts program manager.

Today, art of all kinds is all over Frisco, from the Western bronzes in some shopping centers to sculptures at Pizza Hut Park.

Unlike private commissions, where often there is no set limit, public artists can make anywhere from $9,000 for a small park project to hundreds of thousands of dollars for a larger work, officials said.

From an artist's standpoint, the program requires checks and balances along the way as the art goes from an artist's conception to an approval process by a series of committee members and finally, the City Council.

It is a process that is truly public, Mr. Oldham said.

"This is a community effort where you have volunteers and five arts board members plus volunteer citizens who help select the pieces," he said.

So artists squeamish about someone having to place a seal of approval on their work might have a problem with this program. Some artists might see it as micromanagement. Not artist Eliseo Garcia.

"This is public art," said Mr. Garcia, whose work can be viewed at DART's Westmoreland Station and at the new athletic center. "It's not elite art. It's for the general populace."

David Iles, another artist who had a piece commissioned by the city, agreed with Mr. Garcia.

"I feel there is lots of room for lots of different art," said Mr. Iles. "People can appreciate it on so many different levels."

And artists aren't the only ones who benefit from the program.

"The community recognizes they have art work, and they love it," Mr. Oldham said. "Public art draws people to Frisco and developers to Frisco."

Comments

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