County art proposal faces funding challenge
Clark County took a step toward increased funding for public art Tuesday, although the source of the money remains uncertain.
The County Commission advanced a proposal by Commission Chris Giunchigliani that would create a special fund to support painting, sculpture and other art forms.
Specifically, commissioners voted to schedule another public hearing on July 17 to get feedback on the issue after discussing ways to fund and oversee such a program.
It gives Giunchigliani time to revise the proposal to address concerns from other commissioners who talked about whether the art could be focused in unincorporated parts of the county, if local artists could benefit, and if there would be money to maintain art after it is installed.
They also discussed funding the program by setting aside a small percentage of the value of public building projects to be used for the arts fund. The proposal Giunchigliani introduced would have used room and property tax money otherwise destined for the general fund. The fund would be capped at $1.25 million.
Commissioner Steve Sisolak asked Giunchigliani whether it would be possible to fund the program with a set-aside from public building projects.
She responded by saying that had been considered but the dearth of public building projects in the budget would have meant the arts fund was bare, unless it was seeded with money from elsewhere and replenished through future building.
Giunchigliani said she doesn’t mind reworking the proposal to identify funding sources the commission will support.
"To me the issue was never where the money came from, it is getting the policy started," she said.
Giunchigliani said that if they decide to fill the fund with set-asides from future building projects, she wants to make sure there is flexibility to place the art throughout the county, not just at the location of the building project in question.
"If we collect on a sewer line, are we going to put a project on the sewer line?" she said.
Several artists spoke in support of the proposal.
Artist BobbieAnn Howell compared the difference between a community with plentiful public art to one without as similar to the contrast between a dusty gambling hall and a beautiful casino resort.
"All the things that happen in CityCenter could happen in a big square box," Howell said of the sleek resort on the Strip. "What makes that a remarkable building is the design."
Contact reporter Benjamin Spillman at bspillman@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0285.
