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Alexandria City Council Approves Van Alstine Sculpture Donation Yesterday, the Alexandria City Council approved the Alexandria Sculpture Festival donation by John Van Alstine. The sculpture, “Sacandaga Totem,” is a rough cut, granite obelisk with four heavy steel fins bolted at the base and welded to a steel plate. The sculpture measures 113 inches high x 66 inches wide x 43 inches deep, and weighs 5,000 pounds. Van Alstine, who lives in New York, has exhibited widely in the United States, Europe, and Japan. The sculpture will be displayed in the plaza at the southwest corner of South Fayette and King Streets. The City received more than 50 comments during public input earlier this month. The majority of comments viewed the sculpture donation favorably, and the Alexandria Commission for the Arts voted in favor of receiving the donation this past Monday. “The City of Alexandria
is very excited to receive a sculpture from such an internationally
renowned artist,” said Mayor William D. Euille. “Art enhances
a community and we look forward to future opportunities to add
art throughout our City.” For more information about other programs and services of the Alexandria Commission for the Arts, please call the Commission's office at 703.838.6348, or visit alexandriacommissionforthearts.org. To read the artist's resume, CLICK HERE.
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City
Council Authorizes Plan for Design Competition To Develop Public
Art Honoring Charles Houston On Tuesday, June 24, the Alexandria City Council received a status report on the proposed public art honoring civil rights attorney Charles Houston, and authorized a plan to hold a design competition to select public art honoring Houston in the plaza of the renovated Charles Houston Recreation Center. The center is scheduled to reopen in the spring of 2009. The City Council authorized the City Manager to appoint a selection panel to oversee the design process for the public art. They also authorized Mayor William D. Euille to appoint a Charles Houston Art Project Stakeholder Advisory Group to work with City staff and the selection panel in choosing the finalist for the design competition. The Commission for the Arts will proceed with a plan to raise the $300,000 needed to pay for all aspects of the design competition and the public art chosen from the competition. In October 2005, Councilman Ludwig Gaines recommended to City Council that the Charles Houston Recreation Center renovation project feature public art honoring the memory of Charles Houston. Charles Houston was an attorney of national reputation and a seminal figure in the civil rights movement. He used his expertise and influence to bring educational opportunity to Alexandria’s African American community. The Council endorsed Councilman Gaines’ recommendation that public art honoring Charles Houston be incorporated into the renovated Center, and requested that the Commission for the Arts coordinate with City staff and obtain input from the community to identify the type of public art that should be located at the center. From September 2007 through May 2008, Pat Miller, Chair of the Commission for the Arts, and City staff met with representatives of numerous organizations and stakeholder groups to discuss the public art for Charles Houston. In addition, two community meetings and a public hearing were held to solicit public input. The Commission for the Arts made a final recommendation to City Council that a design competition be held to develop the public art honoring Charles Houston. A design competition is expected to begin in the summer of 2008. The competition will be advertised widely and will target local, national, and minority participation. A selection panel will choose three semi-finalists by late fall, each of whom will receive a $1,000 honorarium to develop a concept model for the public art. The final proposals will be exhibited for a two-week public review period. Based on public comment, selection panel review, and Stakeholder Advisory Group input, one of the proposals will be chosen as the final concept to be recommended to City Council during the winter of 2009, in order for the art to be ready when the center reopens in the spring. For more information, please contact Cheryl Anne Colton at 703.838.6348. # # # |
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Alexandria
Commission for the Arts In June, Alexandria's City Council endorsed the concept of incorporating public art honoring Charles Houston into the renovated Charles Houston Recreation Center slated to be completed in December of 2008.
The Alexandria Commission for the Arts with the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities is in the process of organizing a series of community outreach activities to garner insights, input and community support on the type of public art that should be located at the Charles Houston Recreation Center plaza honoring Charles Houston. The public art proposal will honor, commemorate and memorialize Charles Houston and his contributions to the struggle for civil rights and equality in public education in the City of Alexandria. It is anticipated the memorial will be sited in the open space-pedestrian plaza at the main entrance of the new facility.
The Arts Commission is developing fund-raising plans for the Houston
memorial. Lavern Chatman, Urban League President and CEO, and
Mame Reiley, President of the Reiley Group, will be heading the
fundraising efforts. If you wish to become involved with the Alexandria
Commission for the Arts in these planning efforts or have any
suggestions or comments you wish to provide, please visit, the
Alexandria Commission for the Arts' website at www.alexandriacommissionforthearts.org,
or send in your comments to: The City of Alexandria is committed to compliance with the City's Human Rights Code and the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation or to request materials in an alternative format, call Cheryl Anne Colton, Cultural Arts Administrator, of the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities at 703.838.6348 (TTY 703.838.4902) or email cherylanne.colton@alexandriava.gov. # # # |
Charles
Houston was an attorney of national reputation and a seminal figure
in the civil rights movement. He was Dean of Howard University
Law School and authored a legal brief that was used by his protégé,
Thurgood Marshall, to win the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case,
Brown vs. the Topeka Board of Education, which helped end racial
segregation in American schools. Houston used his expertise and
influence in bringing educational opportunity to the Alexandria
African-American community. In appreciation for his contributions,
the elementary school on Wythe Street was renamed in his honor.
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City Council Receives the Lord Cultural Resources
Lord Cultural Resources consultancy firm conducted a study of the arts in Alexandria to assist the Commission for the Arts in creating a plan for the future to make Alexandria a more exciting, dynamic and creative community that embraces and celebrates the arts and culture. The report offers fifteen recommendations. These recommendations focus on a vision for the arts; a new mission, strategic plan, and organizational structure for the Commission; and ways to increase funding resources for the arts. To obtain a copy of the Lord Cultural Resources' final report, or for more information about the Alexandria Commission for the Arts, call 703.838.6348 or CLICK HERE to obtain a copy of the "Lord Report" in Acrobat Reader format. The City of Alexandria is committed to compliance with the City's Human Rights Code and the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation or to request materials in an alternative format, call Cheryl Anne Colton, Cultural Arts Administrator, of the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities at 703.838.6348 (TTY 703.838.4902) or email cherylanne.colton@alexandriava.gov. # # #
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Alexandria Commission for the Arts Announces Results of
The City of Alexandria and the Alexandria Commission for the Arts are proud to have been active partners in this groundbreaking study. The results establish the arts and cultural industry as a major factor in Alexandria’s economy. “Alexandria is very lucky to have such an active and diverse arts community. The impact the arts has made on our community is very obvious,” stated Mayor William D. Euille. Each year, the arts and cultural industry contributes more than $80 million to the local economy in Alexandria. This figure comprises $13.64 million in expenditures by nonprofit arts and cultural organizations and an additional $66.37 million in event-related spending by their audiences. It is this corollary spending that pumps vital revenue into local restaurants, hotels, retail stores, parking garages, and other businesses in the City. Mary Margaret Schoenfeld, Community Development
Manager with Americans for the Arts presented the City of Alexandria's
findings at the Wednesday, February 27 artCHAT event held at the
Torpedo Factory Art Center (105 N. Union St.). Residents wishing
the opportunity to further explore this groundbreaking survey
can download a copy of Ms. Schoenfeld's Power Point presentation
by clicking Here.
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