Town Seeks Volunteers to Help Select Public Art for New Elementary School

Source: amherstma.gov

The Town of Amherst recently established the Percent for Art Advisory Committee, a time-limited committee responsible for selecting public art for the new Amethyst Brook Elementary School.  

The Town is seeking two residents to serve on the committee. These resident members must be art professionals who work in fields such as production, education, criticism, administration, fundraising, curating, and collecting, and who are well-respected and knowledgeable about visual art. 

Interested residents should submit a Community Activity Form: amherstma.gov/CAF

Applications will be reviewed beginning September 1. 

This Percent for Art Advisory Committee will provide guidance for the solicitation, evaluation, selection, and installation of the artwork at the new Elementary School Building in accordance with the Percent for Art Bylaw, Section 3.53 of the Town of Amherst General Bylaws. 

The Percent for Art Bylaw established a funding program to ensure that public art is acquired, created, and otherwise made available in Amherst. It authorizes an allocation for public art of an amount equal to one-half percent (0.5%) of the capital costs of any eligible town construction project budgeted at a minimum of $1,000,000.  

For the new Amethyst Brook Elementary School, the Town Council allocated $250,000 for the total cost of procuring and installing the art. The Amethyst Brook Elementary School will be the first public building constructed under this bylaw. 

The goal of the bylaw is to promote the enjoyment of the arts by increasing the quantity and quality of public art in Amherst, thereby expanding the value and use of public buildings, facilities, and spaces, and contributing to the town’s cultural vitality and economic well-being. 

The Percent for Art program is administered by the Public Art Commission, under the supervision of the Town Manager, with the assistance of a Percent for Art Advisory Committee. The bylaw requires the Town Manager to establish a “Percent for Art Advisory Committee” for each eligible town construction project. This Advisory Committee is appointed specifically for the new Amethyst Brook Elementary School. 

The Percent for Art Advisory Committee will be comprised of seven (7) voting members including two (2) members of the Public Art Commission, one (1) member of the Elementary School Building Committee, one (1) elementary school art teacher, one (1) Amherst Regional High School student selected by the High School Principal, and the two (2) residents/art professionals appointed by the Town Manager. There will also be a Percent for Art Project Manager who is a non-voting member. 

The Committee will advise the Public Art Commission and Town Manager in developing a request for art and will also evaluate and select proposals. The Committee will collaborate with the Public Art Commission to set the thematic and format/medium specifications and work with the Project Manager to establish the process for soliciting and reviewing artists’ proposals. They will also make recommendations on the selection of art and artist(s). 

For more information about the Percent for Art Advisory Committee and how to get involved, please visit www.amherstma.gov/3935/63418/Percent-for-Art-Advisory-Committee