Public Art Conference Archive—2003

Public Art Network Award
Harriet Traurig

Jerry Allen, Director of San Jose's Office of Cultural Affairs and Americans for the Arts board member, presents the First Annual Public Art Network Award, a work by artist Red Grooms, to Harriet Traurig.

The first Public Art Network Award was announced by Gretchen Freeman, former PAN Co-Chair, on Friday, June 6th during the PAN Update Lunch. Over 225 people attended the moving ceremony, where Harriet Traurig, Director of the Public Art Program for the City of San Jose’s Office of Cultural Affairs, was announced as the recipient. The Americans for the Arts press release is available online.

Jerry Allen and Mary Rubin of the Office of Cultural Affairs, and artist Jack Mackie participated in the ceremony. Current and former staff of Harriet including Jenjoy Roybal, Brooke Willard, Brenda Brown, and Leslie Holzman were also present to see their much loved colleague receive the award. All of her staff is to be commended on keeping the award a secret from Ms. Traurig and for arranging for artist Red Grooms to give Ms. Traurig a drawing  in recognition and honor of her innovative and creative contributions and exemplary commitment and leadership in the field of public art.

Ms. Traurig’s background has ranged from a career in ceramic sculpture to her current position as Director of the San Jose Public Art Program; building that program into one of the most prominent programs in the nation. 

For over 30 years Ms. Traurig’s focus has been to create, implement and promote community and urban programs for public agencies and private organizations in the area of public art and aesthetic enhancement. Her expertise is in the areas of strategic planning, master planning, community development, and project management. Prior to Directing the San Jose Public Art Program, she was an independent consultant with clients including the City and County of San Francisco, CA, Emeryville, CA, Modesto, CA, St. Louis MO, Fulton County (Atlanta, CA), St. Louis MetroLink Light Rail, and the Tennessee Art Commission. 

From 198 –1989, Ms. Traurig served as the Executive Director of the Forum for Contemporary Art, St. Louis, Missouri, a non-profit multi-discipline urban cultural center where she implemented and promoted programs and services for diverse constituencies. From 1981–1984 Ms. Traurig served as Program Director for the Tennessee Arts Commission, managing the State of Tennessee’s Public Art, Visual Literacy, and Media Arts Programs. She is the co-founder of ST&T Business Development, consulting services for mid-size construction trade business owners to increase efficiency and productivity related to securing and maintaining new and expanded business.

Beginning with CETA federally-funded programs in the 1970’s, she became involved as both a public artist and a public art project manager in Norman, Oklahoma where she was hired as part of a team of artists to design, fabricate and install a series of artist-created playground pieces. After earning a Masters Degree in Arts Administration, she was hired by the State of Tennessee to direct the installation of a series of monumental artworks along the interstate highways as a welcoming gesture for the 1982 Knoxville, Tennessee World’s Fair, and manage a regional crafts grant program that included a successful promotional film campaign.. 

Ms. Traurig managed the public art component and public involvement of a new $390 million light rail system for St. Louis’ Bi-State Development Agency/MetroLink, which became a national model for public art and civic involvement in public transit. The program became the salesperson of the system and was the lead in generating community input in design and economic development issues. 

She was one of the pilot program project managers for the Smithsonian Institution's national initiative, Save Our Sculpture!, which utilized community volunteers to document the existence of and condition of the country’s outdoor sculptures. Since that time she developed public art programs for cities and counties such as St. Louis, Missouri, Clayton, Missouri, and Fulton County (Atlanta), Georgia as well as managed numerous high profile projects and programs for low-income public housing and for high-end tax abated commercial developers. She has been a leader in organizing the Northern California Public Art Administration Network. A group committed to fostering the health and strength of Public Art Programs in Northern California, through support, partnerships, and cross- pollination of ideas and methods.

As Director of the City of San Jose Public Art Program since 1999 she completed a Master Plan for Public Art and Urban Planning that has been the catalyst for developing intergovernmental relations, increased funding opportunities and participation of private developers. She has implemented a program model for community-based public art, the formation of advisory groups, artist training programs, and public affairs planning. Her program direction has contributed to the City’s visual identity and livability; provided a vision for the future of public art in the City of San Jose, encouraged broad community involvement in the program; dramatically increased the programmatic effectiveness and accountability; and promoted collaboration in the development of public art projects. She created a unique artist selection process and public outreach that allows for community participation in the development of artwork designs that result in appropriate, relevant artworks for the City of San Jose while continuing to support the integrity of the artist’s vision. Her vision and efforts brought the program from $3,000,000 to its current position worth more than $17,000,000; and looking forward to an additional $18,000,000 over the next 10 years. 

Ms. Traurig’s contributions to the field are supported by her strategic and visionary approach to working with public space, her commitment to working with and empowering community, her creativity in building intergovernmental partnerships, and her contribution and support of artists, and Public Art Programs nationwide. Her style, grace, courage and sense of humor, has gained the respect and support of her colleagues, peers, and community.