The Cultural Arts Commission met in practice on July 26 and received a presentation from Caltrans for its Solstice Canyon Creek Beautification Project proposal.
The committee also elected the president and vice president. Current President Lotte Cherin remained as President and former Vice President Julia Holland surrendered her seat to Commissioner Fireball Tim Lawrence.
Assistant Director of Community Services Kristin Riesgo provided an update on the 2022 Poetry and Art Anthology, 2022-23 Planning workshop schedules and an update on the recent, ‘Art of Surf’ exhibit at Malibu City Hall. The art exhibition is open until August 31st.
The commission received a presentation from Caltrans for the Solstice Canyon Creek Beautification Project. At the last meeting on May 24, commissioners raised questions about the structure and whether Caltrans had considered flooding and erosion for the project.
The commission will determine and approve artistic criteria, and determine a method for selecting an artist.
Community Services Director Jesse Bobbett provided an update on the project and said the tunnel, when built, will be square instead of round.
“Their hope for us is that we can provide them with a recommendation of what would go there, whether that would be a call to an artist or [someone] the commission is familiar with,” he said.
Bobbett said they would need to have the art and artist approved by City Council and completed by June 2023. The bridge and art would be completed by 2026.
Caltrans representative Hammer Sui said the art budget is $225,000 and would not include maintenance. During the February 14 City Council meeting, Sui said the city would have to preserve the artwork and recommended using a layer of preventative spray.
“The maintenance cost, which is mainly graffiti, is [using] a preventive layer of spray,” Sui said. “[Costs] maybe two to three dollars per square foot of the whole layer, it would last a few years.”
Lawrence recommended having artist Matt Doolin of Topanga Tiles to create the art; nevertheless Cherin said that they should issue a call to potential artists.
Doolin provided recommendations and suggestions, but said he would be interested in participating in the project.
“Even if it’s a consulting basis, I’d love to be a part of this,” Doolin said. “I think there’s a lot of potential here and I’d be happy to be involved in a number of different ways.”
Sui said the proposed timeline includes a cooperation agreement by Oct. 31.
Commissioners proposed to have a call to artists and have an interim meeting before the October deadline.
Commissioners were unable to discuss the Malibu Arts Budget, Malibu Arts Center, and City Gallery Exhibition schedule for the 2022-2023 fiscal year.
The next Cultural Arts Commission meeting is scheduled for August 23.
