Electrify
Senior Member
Surprised nobody's posted this yet:
http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1037692--ttc-seeks-art-consultant-for-lrt-line
http://www.thestar.com/news/ttc/art...lts-very-rich-contract-for-ttc-art-consultant
I don't want to jump into knee-jerk "gravy" reactions, but is $200,000 per year to hire an art critic to dictate what pieces go where comparable to the going rate in the private sector? I would have assumed that the architects for the individual stations would have already penciled in some artistic designs into the build of the stations, and that the project managers would be the ones who would implement and coordinate artworks into the stations.
One only needs to look at the current SRT to see how depressing bland metro stations can be...
TTC seeks art consultant for LRT line
TTC seeks highly qualified consultant to choose art for the planned Eglinton Crosstown LRT line. Candidate must work closely with local artists, engineers and project staff. Two-year contract pays up to $420,000.
In an environment of shrinking government budgets, the TTC and Metrolinx are taking what some may view as a bold step in hiring a pricey art consultant for a light-rail transit project.
The new $8.2 billion, 20-kilometre line — set to begin construction this year and be completed by 2020 — is planned to run underground all the way from Black Creek to Kennedy station, and continue above-ground along the existing Scarborough Rapid Transit route.
The line will have up to 26 stops.
This week, the TTC ran an ad in a local newspaper advertising the consultant role. The notice seeks someone to work on a design team that will coordinate and oversee the creation of “integrated artwork’’ that will be supplied by selected artists.
The TTC hopes to fill the position within the next year or so.
TTC spokesperson Brad Ross defended the hiring, saying the province is footing the entire bill for the line and the consultant through Metrolinx. The TTC is doing the design and engineering work for the line itself.
The consultancy is not a staff position, Ross said, adding that the $420,000 represents an “upper limit’’ for the cost. For comparison, according to the province’s salary disclosure, or “sunshine,’’ list David Moos earned $122,363.16 in 2010 as curator at the Art Gallery of Ontario — a staff position.
Hiring a consultant for station design and art isn’t a new idea for the TTC. An international competition was held to choose architectural designs and art for stations along the planned Spadina subway expansion to York Region. An art consultant was also used for stops along the completed St. Clair Ave. right-of-way streetcar line.
“The stations themselves and the public space for the LRT stations need an element of design and pleasing aesthetics. That’s what this process is about, ensuring consistency and artist merit to the public space,’’ Ross said.
The art that eventually appears could be in the form of murals, mosaics, “you name it,’’ he added.
Renowned local artist Eldon Garnet called the job posting a good first step for the TTC. He said art in subway and transit stations can serve as markers of the “cultural identity’’ of each stop.
He referred to the “dislocated walls’’ artwork of artist Vito Acconci, which can be found at the Yankee Stadium station in New York.
“It distinguishes the station ... and visitors are exposed to premium public art — not just low-quality public art. There’s a big difference,’’ Garnet said.
Garnet said a large percentage of the art on the TTC hasn’t been high quality, something he thinks may change given the decent pay that appears to be in the offing for the new consultant for Eglinton.
“The TTC and those organizations are somewhat conservative,’’ Garnet said.
http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1037692--ttc-seeks-art-consultant-for-lrt-line
Province halts ‘very rich contract’ for TTC art consultant
That didn’t last long.
Ontario Transportation Minister Kathleen Wynne Thursday morning ordered the TTC and Metrolinx to pull an ad seeking a consultant who was to help choose art work for stops along the Eglinton Crosstown LRT.
In a telephone interview Wynne said she first learned of plans to hire an art consultant for up to $420,000 over two years after reading it Thursday’s Star.
Right away she contacted Metrolinx CEO Bruce McCuaig and instructed him to take the job posting down.
Though the TTC took out the ad in a local newspaper Monday, Metrolinx, a provincial agency was to foot the bill for the non-staff position.
The new $8.2 billion, 20-kilometre line is set to be finished in 2020, and is planned to run underground all the way from Black Creek to Kennedy station, and continue above-ground along the existing Scarborough Rapid Transit route. The province is footing the bill for the line, and the TTC is doing the design and engineering work.
It’s to have up to 26 stops.
Wynne said now isn’t the time to be talking about pricey postings for art consultants for the line.
“There’ll be lots of time to talk about art in the stations … but our focus right now is getting the line built. That kind of contract, hundreds of thousands of dollars for an art consultant is unacceptable at this point.
“It’s a very rich contract,’’ she added.
When asked why she or someone in her office wasn’t made aware of the job posting before it went out, Wynne said her understanding is “the TTC had responsibility for this particular process.’’
http://www.thestar.com/news/ttc/art...lts-very-rich-contract-for-ttc-art-consultant
I don't want to jump into knee-jerk "gravy" reactions, but is $200,000 per year to hire an art critic to dictate what pieces go where comparable to the going rate in the private sector? I would have assumed that the architects for the individual stations would have already penciled in some artistic designs into the build of the stations, and that the project managers would be the ones who would implement and coordinate artworks into the stations.
One only needs to look at the current SRT to see how depressing bland metro stations can be...
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