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June 16, 2022

Community Update
by Charlie McClendon, City Manager

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Art in Public Places Fund


The Art in Public Places fund was originally established by the City Council over 20 years ago in 2001. The ordinance establishing the fund states that the purpose is “to promote the general welfare of the public through the acquisition and installation of public art works.”

From time to time, I receive questions or concerns from the public that often indicate a lack of understanding of where the money in the Art in Public Places fund comes from and what it can and cannot be used for.

Sources of the Funds – The money in the Art in Public Places fund is not general tax money. The ordinances establishing the fund provide the following: “Any person constructing a commercial or industrial use building within the city shall provide art in a public place or make an in-lieu payment as provided in subsection A or B of this section.
  1. The project applicant shall acquire and install an art work in a public place on or in the vicinity of the project site as approved by the city council pursuant to this chapter. The art work shall have a value that equals or exceeds one percent of the total project valuation.
  2. In lieu of acquiring and installing an art work in a public place, project applicants may contribute funds to the “art in public places fund” established pursuant to Section 11.45.130 equal to one percent of ninety percent of the total project valuation.
So, the Art in Public Places fund is not funded through general tax dollars, instead, funding comes from a fee charged to developers of commercial or industrial property in the City. The money cannot be used for any other purpose than those outlined in the Code. The fee is specifically limited to those types of development and residential development projects are specifically exempted from the fee:
11.45.050 Projects not subject to art in public places requirement.
The requirements of this chapter shall not apply to the following:
  1. Remodeling, repair, or reconstruction of existing commercial and industrial use property which constitutes less than one hundred thousand dollars of building permit value;
  2. Residential subdivision and development;
  3. Low-income housing construction, remodel, repair, or reconstruction projects;
  4. Construction, remodel, repair, or reconstruction of structures to be constructed and occupied by a nonprofit, social service agency or institution;
  5. Underground public works projects;
  6. Street or sidewalk repairs;
  7. Tree planting.
The ordinances establishing the Art in Public Places program also work to provide that no tax money is used to maintain or care for the public art. Instead, the code provides that: “The art in public places fund shall be used to maintain and insure art works installed pursuant to this chapter.”

So, no general tax dollars are used to purchase art and no tax dollars are used to maintain and care for the art. A final check put into place is that the Public Arts Commission may recommend uses of the fund, but final approval must come from the City Council:

“The public arts commission shall make recommendations to the city council concerning the use of the public arts fund to purchase or commission art works. The public arts commission shall also make recommendations to the city council concerning the use of the art in public places fund to engage in art education.

All decisions regarding the use of the art in public places fund shall be made by the city council.’

The Public Arts Commission and the City Council have worked hard to bring a variety of pieces to the community in the past year or so. Included among recent installations are the 9/11 Memorial sculpture in front of the new Fire Station 411, “Passages” and “Swiss Cheese” at Panorama Park, the wind-activated sculpture in front of the new amphitheater, and coming soon the art paying tribute to Ofelia Bringas, which will be installed, pending Council approval, on the new Ofelia Bringas Memorial Bridge on Cathedral Canyon at the Whitewater River.

To view the Art in Public Places code in its entirety go to the following link: Chapter 11.45 ART IN PUBLIC PLACES PROGRAM (qcode.us)

COVID 19 Information

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News

Contest Invites Students to Bee the Change for the Environment

S.C.R.A.P. Gallery and the Cathedral City Environmental Conservation Division invite students to create artwork that shows what they can do for the environment. Bee The Change Creative Art Challenge is open to all students ages 11-18 and features a grand prize of $250 in two age categories. The Challenge encourages five themes for change: food waste, climate change, recycling, plastic … Read more
Contest Invites Students to Bee the Change for the Environment

The Cathedral City Hot Air Balloon Festival Makes the List of Top 14 Balloon Festivals in the World.

The Cathedral City Hot Air Balloon Festival Makes the List of Top 14 Balloon Festivals in the World.
US News and World Report has published their list of 14 Top Balloon Festivals in the World. The Cathedral City Hot Air Balloon Festival and Food Truck Fiesta has been ranked the top 6th Balloon Festival. The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta was ranked first as it is the largest balloon festival with approximately 600 balloons filling the sky. This year, … Read more

Photos of the Week

Views around Cathedral City
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Events

2022 Summer Pool Event

The City of Cathedral City, Palm Springs Unified School District, and Desert Recreation District offers public swimming at Cathedral City High School this summer starting June 6 through August 6, 2022. Below are the scheduled swim times and prices: Cathedral City High School Pool, 69-250 Dinah Shore Drive, Cathedral City Contact: (760) 347-3484 and ask for Aquatics Department Entry Fees … Read more
2022 Summer Pool Event

Free Movies for the Kids This Summer

The Cathedral City Parks and Community Events Commission, in partnership with the Mary Pickford Theatre, presents a “Free Summer Kids Movie Series” happening every Thursday at 10:30 a.m. starting Thursday, June 16, 2022, thru Thursday, August 4, 2022. The film series offers free admission in order to see a different movie geared towards kids each Thursday morning at the Mary … Read more
Free Movies for the Kids This Summer

Tejano Music Festival

Tejano PowerHouse Entertainment, City of Cathedral City and Diaz Enterprises invites you to the rescheduled 4th annual Tejano Music Fest in Cathedral City featuring the best Tejano music, fiesta food and spirits on Saturday, October 29, 2022 from 5 pm to 10 pm at our new location, the Cathedral City Community Amphitheater, 68526 Avenida Lalo Guerrero, in Cathedral City, California. … Read more
Tejano Music Festival

Halloween Spooktacular

Cathedral City’s Halloween Spooktacular features trick or treating with over 40,000 pieces of candy! Join friends, neighbors, and family for a Spooktacular time including activities such as Halloween costume contests (two bikes given away each hour), police and fire exhibitions, music, and family games. Halloween Spooktacular provides you with information about the police and fire departments, to view special … Read more
Halloween Spooktacular

Job Openings

CITY ENGINEER New

Full-time Employee $68.77 - $90.02 Hourly
Department: Engineering

ASSOCIATE/SENIOR CIVIL ENGINEER

Full-time Employee $42.22 - $55.26 Hourly
Department: Engineering
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To view current job opportunities, apply for a position, or submit an interest card, please visit joincathedralcity.org
For Questions or Comments, Contact Katherine Fuentes, Assistant City Manager
kfuentes@cathedralcity.gov
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