22 September 2015
For Immediate Release
Contact Gram Slaton, Executive Director
gram@charlottesvillearts.org
(434) 760-2787
PIEDMONT COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS TAKES OVER MANAGEMENT OF ART IN PLACE
Charlottesville City Council voted unanimously last night, Monday, September 21st, to contract with Piedmont Council for the Arts for the management of its signature Art In Place public artworks program. The three-year contract is effective October 1st, and transfers management of the program from the Art In Place Foundation to PCA on that date.
“Art In Place has been one of the city’s most unique arts programs,” said PCA Executive Director Gram Slaton, “and the credit for that has to go with Mayor Huja for his unwavering support as well as Elizabeth Breeden and her Art In Place Foundation board for the careful curation and management of Art In Place for the past 15 years. It’s humbling and a little bit daunting to be taking on such a wellrespected and successful program, but the PCA staff and board are excited at the possibilities this management contract presents.”
The centerpiece of Art In Place has always been its roadside sculptures, strategically placed around Charlottesville to bring a bit of beauty to commuters and guests traveling by, but Art In Place is also involved in C2D, a juried art show in collaboration with McGuffey Art Center, and mural art.
“Art In Place has tremendous potential to expand the idea of public art locally,” said Slaton. “While the roadside sculpture program will always remain its centerpiece, Art In Place can also incorporate any and all forms of temporary art, from snow sculptures in winter to Shakespeare In The Park in summer. It’s all about art in the moment not art that’s going to be there forever. And that temporal quality opens up all kinds of possibilities for local artists and collaborations with a lot of great local arts organizations. We hope to move slowly and carefully to expand Art In Place in all sorts of new directions that City Council and our residents and guests can enjoy.”
Since 1979, Piedmont Council for the Arts has served as the designated arts agency for Charlottesville and Albemarle County. Piedmont Council for the Arts catalyzes collaboration among artists, arts organizations, and government entities to stimulate creative expression, promote cultural tourism, and advance the effective management and celebration of Central Virginia’s richly diverse cultural heritage.
