Résultats des courses 38 – 11
In City Council today they won 38 – 11. But we didn’t lose.
We’ve galvanized Chicago artists, the Chicago art community and a lot of the public. This is a wake up call. In just 4 days of efforts we went from perhaps 2 alderman supporting our efforts to 11 who stood up to be counted and say they think something is wrong with how Chicago is addressing Public Art. That’s a very significant accomplishment.
The Department of Cultural Affairs has a lot of work to do to gain the confidence of their constituency. It is possible for them to use the passage of their ordinance as a genesis for a much better working procedure than the one they had previously. Let’s encourage them to do that. Since they no longer have Public Art Panels they can now post complete and thorough information about forthcoming commissions on their website. We should ask for that until it happens with regularity.
It is obvious that we made a big difference. My message to you is to not give up. Stay involved. Get to know your alderman. Watch what goes on in art and in government and in art in government. Demand what you know is right. Don’t be timid.
We’re beginning to get national attention.
Think about how to parlay what we’ve been working on together for the past few days into what is good for you and your art in this City and beyond.
Think about what the Department of Cultural Affairs has to do to make you proud of them. Let’s see that they do that. They are capable.
Thank you,
Paul Klein
6/12/07
Folks,
The press has been great and your efforts have been too. But here’s what I learned today:
Because the Department of Cultural Affairs proposed ordinance to “streamline” the commissioning process was introduced by the Mayor, the vast majority of the Aldermen will defer to him. Sure, we all wrote our alderman and all of us art types live in about 12 of the City’s 50 wards. The other Aldermen are not getting the message.
What I was told is that before the City Council meeting is called to order a number of Aldermen will approach the Mayor and ask him what he wants and he either says he doesn’t care or tells them he wants the ordinance passed. Either way we probably lose. Look at the math of the previous paragraph.
In fact, there is really only one way we have a snowball’s chance in hell of winning and that is if we get another turnout of 200 or more people at City Hall, 10 AM Wednesday morning. We then become a sufficient critical mass that we can overwhelm the odds. As Kevin Nance said in the Sun-Times: Two hundred people in Daley Plaza is one thing. Two hundred people in the City Council chambers at 10 a.m. Wednesday would be another.”
And if we do that, then we can work at creating a truly workable ordinance that not only let’s (makes) the Department of Cultural Affairs serve the citizens of Chicago (and you) and do a great job, but protects the public and our taxpayer dollars too.
We have a slim chance of succeeding. It depends on YOU, and you includes the artists who didn’t show up for fear of repercussions – the threat of not having a Cultural Center exhibition or the threat of not getting a DCA commission. That might be a legitimate threat if only 1 or 2 of you show up, but if the number is 25 or 50 more artists who might fall into that threatened category you know the DCA is not going to cancel their whole exhibition schedule and wipe out all those who would or should get a commission.
You are in control of your future. Show up and actively participate in making your future better, or stay home, be passive and have no one to blame but yourself.
Your future is in your hands, and your feet.
I’m on your side, but I can’t do it without you.
I’ll be there early,
Paul Klein
Thank you to all of you who attended a very successful rally yesterday. Thank you to each of you who have written your Aldermen and/or the Mayor. And thank you to Alderman Manny Flores who stood tall and proud in support of Chicago art and artists.
There is an impressive article by Kevin Nance in this morning’s Sun-Times, with some large color photos in the printed edition.
“They say the public will be consulted through neighborhood forums, but they no longer want to give the public a vote," said Allison Stites, director of Wicker Park's Around the Coyote arts festival. "They want to be able to ignore us if they don't agree with what we say."
The Chicago Tribune printed and insightful editorial in today’s paper.
“The City Council should reject the proposed ordinance and move instead to revise the Public Art Committee.”
We’ve accomplished an incredible amount in just 5 days. And of course, there’s more to do. If you haven’t already done so, please contact your alderman. As Kevin Nance suggested in his article, attending the City Council meeting Wednesday morning at 10 AM will make a big difference.
Let me be clear about what I want. I believe the Department of Cultural Affairs does a good job for us, the citizens of Chicago. I believe good people work there, with good intentions. Yet I’m afraid the proposed ordinance provides a recipe for matters to get worse. I believe the DCA could do a better job. I think they could be great
* if they could and would post thorough information about upcoming commissions on their website
* if they would allow artists to specifically apply for specific commissions (instead of having to submit to the DCA database)
* had enough public involvement to safeguard the public interest and protect against abuse
I would love to see the proposed ordinance set aside and City Council to wisely say: “Let’s get the two sides together in a room and leave them there until they reach an agreement about an ordinance that they can all endorse.” Heck, if the meeting started at 9 AM I’d bet we’d have a consensus by noon.
Do you think there’s enough wisdom in town to make this happen?
Thank you very much,
Paul Klein