A while back a handful of us got together to discuss issues we face in our public art practices. Those conversations moved on to discussions with a broader national artists group, which then resulted in the Open Letter, signed by many of us, and published last spring, ’07, in Public Art Review.

We are now taking our Letter and its issues to the Public Art Network / Americans for the Arts Conference in Philadelphia this June.

In a conference session we will present issues collected from artists across the country to attending public art administrators and artists. We will also present solutions. From that work session we will craft the Public Art Best Practice Guidelines to present to the PAN Council for adoption as national standards. These guidelines would be posted on the PAN website, published in arts journals, and will be available to arts agencies whose policies and procedures perpetuate these issues. They will also be available to arts agencies that often find that they are unable to convince their bureaucracies that there are, in fact, national standards.

Seattle will hold the first local forum – testing the way for others. To generate the “Seattle list of issues and solutions” we invite you to attend one of two upcoming discussions. These will be held at Carolyn Law’s home on April 22nd and 29th from 7 to 9 PM in the evening.

We ask that artists come prepared to outline relevant issues, discuss these with those attending, and assist in providing solutions. To effectively do this, we invite us all to leave our rantings and bitchings somewhere else for this evening. Let’s use our extraordinary focus to make progress.Patek Philippe Classics

To invited arts administrators and staff we ask that you listen to artists issues then comment on and assist in generating viable solutions. We well understand that you face many difficult issues and look to solve those with you, only at a different time. We believe that this round needs to be artist-driven.

If you plan to attend please contact either Carolyn or Jack (e-mail to us both would be great) to let us know that you will attend and which evening you will be attending. If one night starts to fill up too tight for available space we may ask that you try to come the other evening.

Check "The Assignment" section of the gray toolbar for a helpful list of topics that need to be addressed.

See "Thoughts on Using the Wiki" to find out how YOU can contribute!!

Please take a look at whom we’ve sent this to. If we’re missing someone let us know and we’ll get to them.