Arts Commission hears FY23 civic art report, cites conservation shortfall and $1.8M annual care need

The San Francisco Arts Commission received its FY23 Public Art Program and Civic Art Collection report on March 4, in which program staff detailed installations, commissions and a collections-care funding shortfall.

Public Art Program Director Mary Chu and senior collections manager Lisonbee Cummings summarized FY23 expenditures and activity, saying direct public-art investments plus collection investments were "just over $6,000,000." Chu highlighted new commissions and purchases approved in FY23, including projects for the Art on Market Street poster series and video-wall commissions. She also described demographic outcomes: while the majority of commission counts went to artists identifying as male, the majority of dollars were awarded to artists who identify as female, and a large share of commissions and dollars went to San Francisco-based artists.

Cummings said the collections annual care need is about $1,800,000 and that the agency has managed an approximate $2,300,000 deficit since the pandemic. "We estimate we have about a $1,800,000 annual need for care of the civic art collection," she told commissioners, noting conservation, relocations and vandalism abatement are significant cost drivers. FY23 collection expenditures were reported at $518,000, a decline from prior years.

Staff also reported concrete FY23 outputs: 55 artworks commissioned or completed, 930 archive records created, 45 artwork relocations and 62 research/photo requests fulfilled. Examples of completed and installed works included public commissions for transit stations, community centers and airport installations.

Commissioners praised staff work and the report; staff said they would continue advocacy to restore pre-pandemic funding levels through the city's budget process and to prioritize conservation and triage-based maintenance as funding allows.

Next steps: Staff will continue budget advocacy and provide updates during the city's budget process; commissioners asked for continued reporting on conservation needs and the impacts of funding shortfalls.