Public Art Conference Archive—2003

Conference Schedule

Wednesday, June 4

4:00pm–6:00 pm
Art and About: Public Art in Downtown Portland

Checking in early? Start out your convention experience by stretching your legs and exploring public art in Portland's vibrant downtown. This guided walking tour will introduce you to the city's innovative public art collection, including stops at City Hall, the Portland Public Library, and Pioneer Courthouse Square. Visit Shelia Klein's Show and Hide, Tom Otterness’ installation in the Federal Courthouse, and much, much, more. Afterwards, visit some of Portland's art galleries on the Wednesday evening gallery preview.

Thursday, June 5

9:00–9:15 am
Opening Remarks

Presenters: Eloise Damrosch, Director of Public Art and Advocacy, Regional Arts & Culture Council, Portland, OR; and Jean Greer, Vice President for Public Art, Arts and Science Council, Charlotte, NC

9:15–9:45 am
Introduction to Public Art in Portland

Presenter: Eloise Damrosch, Director of Public Art and Advocacy, Regional Arts & Culture Council, Portland, OR

10:00–10:50 am
Defining Success in Public Art
Key Speaker Presentation

Key Speakers: Harriet F. Senie, Art Critic and Historian, Brooklyn, NY; Marc Pally, Artist, Los Angeles, CA

11:00am–1:00 pm
Defining Success in Public Art
Panel Presentation

Presenters: Elizabeth Conner, Artist, Vashon, WA; Shelia Klein, Artist, Bow, WA; Jim McDonald, Curator, SAFECO Art Collection, Seattle, WA
Moderator: Ricardo Barreto, Director, UrbanArts Institute, Boston, MA

Panelists will participate in a moderated discussion, responding to Harriet F. Senie and Marc Pally, and presenting their own approaches to defining success in public art. The panel will include time for audience questions and participation.

1:00–2:00 pm
Networking Luncheon

1:30–2:00 pm
Public Art Book Signing

During lunch, visit the Americans for the Arts Bookstore for a special public art book signing to meet Harriet F. Senie, author of The Tilted Arc Controversy: Dangerous Precedent and Hafthor Yngvason, editor, and the contributors Patricia Philips, Jack Becker, Chris Manke, and Laura S. Griffith of Conservation and Maintenance of Contemporary Public Art.

2:15–5:30 pm
Public Art Tours

See why Portland is one of the leading cities for public art in the United States. Each guided tour features a selection of Portland’s best works. 

• Doernbecher Children¹s Hospital with Portland Public Libraries–Bus
• TriMet West Side Max–Public Transportation
• Convention Center/East Bank–Public Transportation and Walking
• Downtown Portland–Walking

6:00–8:00 pm
Reception at the Portland Classical Chinese Garden

All preconference participants will come together to relax, have fun, and explore the Portland Classical Chinese Garden. This walled Suzhou-style garden, which encloses a full city block, was created to nurture and inspire all who visit.

Friday, June 6

8:00–8:50 am
Breakfast Roundtables

Meet colleagues for breakfast to discuss hot topics in the field. Topics and presenters are included in public art conference package materials.

9:00–10:30 am
Year In Review

This popular preconference session explores innovative and exciting public art projects completed in the past year. 

Presenters: Patricia Philips, Writer, Professor, and Executive Editor of Art Journal, New Paltz, NY; and Henry Sayre, Writer and Associate Provost for Academic and Student Affairs, Oregon State University, Cascades Campus, Bend, OR

10:45 am–12:45 pm
Concurrent Study Sessions

• Success Built Into Program Structure: Art, Funding, & Community Buy In
  Presenters: Amy McBride, Public Art Coordinator, Tacoma Arts Commission, Tacoma, WA; Cheryll Leo-Gwin, Artist and Director of ArtZone Program, Belleview Community College, Belleview, WA; and Linda Oestreich, Arts and Communications Manager, City of Olympia Arts Program, Olympia, WA
  
  
• Examining Controversy
  Presenters: Peggy Kendellen, Public Art Manager, Regional Arts and Culture Council, Portland, OR; Karen Spahn, Program Officer, Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Milwaukee, WI; and Buster Simpson, Artist, Seattle, WA.
  
  
• Language of Advocacy
  Presenters: Larry Kirkland, Artist, Washington, DC; Kevin Patterson, Chair of Public Art Commission and Global Sales Executive, IBM, Charlotte, NC; Tad Savinar, Artist, Portland, OR, and Jean Greer, Vice President, Public Art, Arts & Science Council, Charlotte, NC
  
  
• Strategic Partnering Case Study: Art + Community Landscapes
  Presenters: Jackie Brookner, Artist, New York, NY; Liesel Fenner, Program Manager, New England Foundation for the Arts, Boston, MA; Susan Leibovitz Steinman, Artist, Oakland, CA; and Alexandra Stone, National Parks Service River, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program, Seattle, WA.

1:00–2:00 pm
Public Art Network Lunch

David Hoyt Johnson, PAN Council Chair, Tucson, AZ, will present the first annual Public Art Network award.  Afterwards, David Hoyt Johnson, and Renee Piechocki, PAN Facilitator, will give an update on the activities of the Public Art Network.

2:15pm–5:30 pm
Concurrent Study Sessions and Tours

Each study session will include a presentation in the hotel, followed by a tour that expands the selected topic with examples in Portland.

• Trailblazers in Transit
  Presenters: Mary Priester, Public Art Manager, TRI-MET, Portland, OR,
  Rebecca Banyas, Consultant, Portland, ORand Sarah B. Smith, Director, Bi-State Development Agency, St. Louis, MO
  
  
• Public Art and Private Development
  Presenters: Eloise Damrosch, Director of Public Art, Portland, OR, Rex Gulbranson, Deputy Director for Arts & Culture, Glendale Parks & Recreation Glendale, AZ, and Julie Silliman, Cultural Arts Planner, Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
  
  
• Creating Fertile Ground:  Community Design and the Creative Process
  Presenters: Kristin Calhoun, Public Art Manager, Regional Arts & Culture Council, Portland, OR. Shelia Levrant De Bretteville, Artist, New Haven, CT;  Barbara Luecke, Senior Project Coordinator,  King County Public Art Program, Seattle, WA
  
  
• Maintaining Success: A Case Study of the Regional Arts & Culture Council’s Collections and Maintenance Program
  Presenter: Robert Krueger, Collections Manager, Regional Arts & Culture Council, Portland, OR

Closing Reception
6:00–8:00 pm

Location: Portland’s City Hall
Sponsored in Part by Freeman Whitehurst Group

Celebrate two days of learning and networking with friends and colleages at the closing reception for the public art conference attendees. Wind down, have fun, and view the site’s public art collection. City Hall is a short walk from the hotel.