Take a stroll down the new halls of the Truckee Community Recreation Center. The natural light and ample wall space is perfect for local artists to showcase their works, right? You aren’t alone with those thoughts; you’ve got 11 commissioners on your side. Enter the Truckee Public Art Commission. Chaired by local artist Carole Sesko and brainchild of the rec center’s general manager, Steve Randall, the TPAC, according to Sesko, will be ‘focusing on creating opportunities for public art, installation art, exhibits, and art events for the community.’
When asked how the idea was started, Randall wrote in an email, ‘I have always wanted to get art in public places. Art is part of recreation and should be part of the community. The district prior to the opening of the new building never had anywhere to display visual art in the proper way. It was my idea to form the art committee so that the community would have a voice in public art displays. I took this to the Truckee Donner Recreation & Park District board of directors and they agreed.’
Meeting since April, the TPAC has already hung a summer show (exhibiting until Sept. 30) and has just finished accepting submissions for their second show titled ‘Truckee Exposed!’ The show will be featured Oct. 1 to Jan. 31, 2011. In regards to the first show at the center, Sesko explained, ‘Basically because we just needed to jump in and understand the space and we needed some artwork to work with.’
The TPAC, funded by the TDRPD, which in turn is funded by our taxes, has set largely realistic goals. Well versed in committee meetings and how occasionally they start with lofty goals only to ‘peter out,’ Sesko said one of her goals as chair is to ‘have clearly achievable goals and steps, and once the goal is achieved, build on that success.’ Both Sesko and Randall agree that their first short-term goal was to come up with an exhibit schedule and develop standards and procedures to have revolving artwork at the community center. An identified long-term goal is to branch out to one of the other spaces managed by the district.
In regards to the community center, there are two main wings the TPAC will be focusing on, one wing (which is to be named by the TPAC) will be for adult art, and the other will focus on children’s art both from students involved in the Arts for the Schools program and high school age artists. Additionally, there is a large amount of wall space available for art to be showcased on the mezzanine floor where a walking track is located above the gym floor.
Looking forward, Sesko said the TPAC would like to ‘create venues for public art, things like temporary installations and art events to involve the community.’ When thinking of branching to another property, the possibilities are limitless. The TDRPD manages a multitude of properties around the area in addition to the community center including West End Beach, Donner Lake Shoreline Park, which includes 35 public piers, Meadow Park, the Billy Rose Park, Truckee River Regional Park, the rodeo arena, River View Sports Park, the veterans building, Floriston Park, and the Glenshire School fields. ‘I’m not saying we are going to fill them all with art tomorrow,’ Sesko laughed, ‘but there are so many opportunities there for engaging the public with art. The timing [for an entity like the TPAC] is perfect.’
Time frames for future installations both in the community center and additional areas are undecided. According to Randall, it all depends on funding. The budget for the TPAC is coming from the district’s general reserves. ‘We have budgeted $4,000 this year for art show receptions and the purchase of art work,’ wrote Randall.
