Ashley Pond, Los Alamos NM. Courtesy/Arts in Public Places Advisory Board

COUNTY News:

Art in public places helps to create beautiful public spaces and the Art in Public Places Advisory Board values community input.

Ongoing work being pursued by the Board:

• The Board is continuing to assess remaining indoor art and working towards identifying indoor artwork in need of repair. Not all artwork is accessible to Board members. Three pieces discussed in the December meeting include: “Dino World” in the Mesa Public Library, “Aquatic Figures” in the Aquatic Center, and “Los Alamos Skyscape” in White Rock Library,
• Working Group to create art celebrating homestead families planning to meet before Winter Break,
• The Request for Art proposals for the Betty Ehart Center gate was extended to Jan. 17, 2025 and proposals will be reviewed at the January meeting,
• The Board is recommending to County Council that the Solar Tree repair proposal be accepted from the artist, not to exceed $10,000,
• The Board voted in the November meeting to pursue art with J. Muzacz along the south facing wall surrounding the Justice Center. In the December meeting, the Board voted to recommend to the County Council to place J. Muzacz under contract to create a new design, incorporating community comment, for art at the Justice Center, not to exceed 10% of his original quote,
• Beginning to work on the 2025 APPB Work Plan, and
• Created a Strategic Plan Working Group to better guide the Board to be staffed by Board Chair Stephanie Haaser and Board Member Tim Foley in collaboration with County employees.

Funding for the acquisition of art is defined within the Los Alamos County Code, Sections 20-364 and 20-365. Changes to the Art in Public Places Advisory Board funding would require changes to be made to the County Code. Funding sources defined by the County Code:

• 1% of the budget of any capital improvement projects, whose budget exceeds $20,000.
• 0.5% of the budget of any road project.