Art may be in the eye of the beholder, but one perspective we can all agree upon is that public art is a valuable community investment and one that needs to be preserved so residents and visitors may enjoy it for years to come and ensure the enduring value of these creative assets.
“The community expressed a strong interest in publicly displaying works of art that can be appreciated,” explained Winnie DelliQuadri, assistant to the city manager for the City of Steamboat Springs. “As new art is added, this fund enables that these valuable pieces, along with what is currently on display, can be taken care of without relying on an allocation from the city budget.”
In August 2017, the City of Steamboat Springs ended the moratorium on accepting public art to be placed on city owned property. However, securing public art is only one piece of the puzzle; guaranteeing its preservation goes far beyond the initial donation or purchase.
The Steamboat Springs Public Art Maintenance Endowment Fund, housed at the Yampa Valley Community Foundation, serves as a way to provide a permanent endowment to maintain and restore public art located in and around the City of Steamboat Springs. The fund is imperative to the maintenance of the vast array of public art in our area, which spans more than 80 items across a palette of artistic formats.
Steamboat’s climate which fluctuates from snowy, cold winters to intense summer sunshine, mixed in with a sizable variety of natural mineral springs and low, dry humidity; all compound to further degrade public art displayed in this mountainous outdoor environment and was a key reason for this protective approach.
The Foundation will notify the city the amount of funds available for annual distribution in the following calendar year by August 31 of each year and will be reflected in the city’s annual budget planning cycle. The city is responsible for requesting reimbursement of services by December 31 of the following year for all public art repair and maintenance work completed.
Ten thousand dollars was contributed by the city to start the fund. Donations can be made directly to the Fund and individuals wishing to establish a recurring contribution to public art may also do so on a monthly basis. Visit
yvcf.org/art to donate online or to find out additional information on the fund.
In addition to the new public art fund, the Yampa Valley Community Foundation also holds similar endowment funds including the Trail Maintenance Endowment Fund, South Routt Education Fund, and Yampa River Botanic Park Endowment Fund.
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Contact:
Helen Beall, Yampa Valley Community Foundation, 970.879.8632,
helen@yvcf.org
Winnie DelliQuadri, City of Steamboat Springs, 970.871.8257,
wdelliquadri@steamboatsprings.net