Public Art Review Committee

Following the recommendations of the Governance Committee, the Portsmouth City Council has directed the creation of a new Public Art Review Committee to assist the City in reviewing proposals for public art and conducting practical assessments of the feasibility of installing and maintaining such art works in the public sphere. 

PARC Responsibilities:

  • Fostering the development and awareness of public art within the City of Portsmouth, and advising the City Manager and City Council with respect to matters relating to the development of public art awareness within the City of Portsmouth
  • Accepting referrals from the City Council or any other public body concerning public art and art issues generally
  • Providing input on public art and art issues in connection with Master Plans, zoning ordinances and strategic planning documents
  • Collaborating with the City on the acquisition, maintenance and marketing of its public art and developing a stewardship policy
  • Establishing guidelines for review of public art based on the Public Art Acquisition Policy
  • Initiating public forums, where appropriate, for determining thematic approaches and location options for public art
  • Determining recruitment strategies to attract qualified artists for public art projects
  • Reviewing applications for public art, including sponsored works, following the Public Art Acquisition Policy, selecting final proposals and advising the City on issues related to its “Percent for Art” policy
  • Advising and overseeing public art programs established by the City of Portsmouth in accordance with any policies and guidelines either established by the City or established by the Public Art Review Committee at the request of the City Council
  • Recommending to the City Council, as requested, replacement members to the PARC when they arise
  • Identifying and soliciting funds to supplement the public art budget and the Public Art Trust, for either temporary or permanent use for the acquisition, maintenance and/or installation of public art.

PARC Membership: The PARC will consist of six to ten community volunteers and one member of City staff, whom the City Manager has designated is Sean Clancy, Assistant City Manager for Economic Development. The Committee is now seeking applicants for consideration for appointment. Applicants should demonstrate their experience in the fine arts, architecture, art criticism, engineering or structural analysis, art history, graphic arts, interior design, landscape architecture, town planning, or other art and design-related fields, or who have demonstrated a strong interest in the visual arts and civic improvement. PARC members will be appointed by the Mayor, with approval from the Council, to staggered terms varying from two to three years. The PARC will be chaired by a member of the local arts community for a term of one year, with eligibility for reelection for two additional terms. 

Public Art Defined: For purposes of this Public Art Review Committee, “public art" is defined as artwork located in or on a public space such as a municipal facility, park, right-of-way, or other municipally owned or controlled property. Artwork includes but is not limited to a painting, mural, inscription, stained glass, fiber work, statue, relief or sculpture, monument, fountain, arch or other structures intended for ornament or commemoration. Also include in this definition is any installation that is technological in nature or includes carvings, frescoes, mosaics, mobiles, photographs, drawings, collages, prints, crafts, both decorative and utilitarian in clay, fiber, wood, metal, glass plastics and other materials. Landscape items include the artistic placement of natural materials and other function art objects. Works of art may be portable as well as permanent. Public art does not include objects that are mass-produced from a standard design or reproductions of original art works unless of limited edition; decorative, ornamental or functional elements., which are designed by the building architect; landscape architecture and landscape gardening except where these elements are an integral part of the artwork by the artist; directional elements such as super graphics, signage or color coding except where these elements are integral parts of an original work of art; and logos, corporate identifiers or other forms of branding and advertising.