The City Council gave the go-ahead Monday to fund the 2010 Sculpture Exhibition as requested by the Bellevue Arts Commission.
A decision on the funding proposal was delayed due to a continued review process by the council of the Capital Investment Program (CIP) Plan. The review caused a delay in planning for the 2010 Sculpture Exhibition, placing the Arts Commission behind schedule by nine weeks.
Arts Commission former Chair Roxanne Shepherd told councilmembers that there was a time sensitivity surrounding the decision.
Although the exhibition would not take place until next summer, Shepherd explained that the Arts Commission must begin soliciting and selecting artists, securing permissions and sponsorships, and organizing the physical installation of the artwork.
“Arts Commission members debated about whether to wait until 2011 for the next exhibition, but we feel we have a very exciting and engaging idea,” Shepherd told the council. “The amount of money we are asking you to release will not solve the budget problems the city faces, but they are a deal killer for this project.”
The Arts Commission first presented their work plan including a new concept for the 2010 Sculpture Exhibition during a Sept. 8, council study session.
After brief consideration following Shepherd’s presentation, the council approved the Arts Commission’s requested funds.
The Sculpture Exhibition has been held for 18 years in Bellevue and is a free event open to the public. According to Shepherd, a June 2008 telephone survey showed that 48 percent of Bellevue residents had heard about the exhibition and 40 percent said they thought it enhanced Bellevue’s reputation and made Bellevue a better place to live.
The Arts Commission plans to take a new approach to the 2010 Sculpture Exhibition by expanding the installation to include an art walk along a route leading from City Hall to the Downtown Bellevue Park. The exhibition is scheduled for July of 2010 and will revolve around the theme of Bellwether 2010: Artwalk Bellevue.
Some of the artwork will be displayed on private property and the Arts Commission plans to partner with local businesses to enhance the exhibition.
“The plans are in place and now that the funds are approved and we have the go-ahead, we are going to send out the word to artists and start the work to find local sponsors,” Shepherd explained. “The art walk space is the largest geography that we have ever covered with our exhibition. We will try to capture a variety of artistic mediums and that’s what makes this future exhibition so exciting.”
Lindsay Larin can be reached at 425-453-4602.
