Board struggles to reach Dynaworld artist; deaccession policy to guide next steps

Board members reported the DynaWorld piece dates from the mid/late 1990s (staff recorded 1998 as the best available date) and is beyond the 20‑year lifespan recommended for some public artworks. The working group has tried multiple outreach avenues, including social media and contacts in Flagstaff, Arizona, but "we've been still unable to successfully contact the artist," a board member said.

Jasmine said the working group had learned the artist likely lives in Flagstaff, and staff are contacting arts counterparts there. Chelsea said the updated deaccession policy will provide a clear procedure for when the original artist cannot be reached — for example, documenting due diligence, waiting an appropriate period, and then moving to removal or relocation options with community input.

Board members discussed possible relocation sites (the library was mentioned) and emphasized avoiding leaving a conspicuous blank if the piece is removed. The group agreed to use the forthcoming policy draft and related templates to determine the next steps.