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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 02-03-2004-6bORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: February 3, 2004 Action Agen a Item No. 'p) SUBJECT: Orange County Rape Crisis Center's 30th Anniversary Art Project Placement DEPARTMENT: Arts Commission PUBLIC HEARING: (Y /N) No Commission for Women ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Biographical Information on the Orange Martha Shannon, ext. 2335 County Rape Crisis Center Sally McKenzie Collages by Meredith Mayer Postcard TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Home (919) 643 -1020 Work (919) 732 -2171 Cell (919) 697 -1353 OCRCC (919) 968 -4647 PURPOSE: To consider a temporary location, Preferably the Southern Human Services Building located in Chapel Hill, to house the 30t Anniversary art project of the Orange County Rape Crisis Center. BACKGROUND: The Orange County Rape Crisis Center ( OCRCC) will be commemorating thirty years of serving Orange County beginning in 2004. In the 2002 -03 fiscal year, the Center provided assistance to 378 survivors of sexual violence and their loved ones and reached 9,326 people through community education. The Orange County Rape Crisis Center's mission is simple; to stop sexual violence and its impact through support, education and advocacy. The OCRCC is requesting that an art piece created in observance of the Center's 30th anniversary be placed in the Southern Human Services Building beginning in April. A local artist, Meredith Mayer, will design the piece. Collages by Meredith Mayer were on display at the Chapel Hill Public Library from November 16, 2003 through January 20, 2004. The Town of Chapel Hill and the Orange County Arts Commission supported this art exhibit with funds from the Grassroots Program of the North Carolina Arts Council, a state agency. An example of Ms. Mayer's artwork is attached to this abstract. OCRCC has also provided an information fact sheet on the history of the Orange County Rape Crisis Center as well as statistical information on sexual assault in Orange County. Numerous concerns have been raised by different departments within the Southern Human Services Building over the piece being included in the building. Concerns included: space availability, protection against vandalism, non - shocking or non - violent piece, and the reasons for locating it there. Regarding space availability, the Orange County Rape Crisis Center would like to utilize the vacant wall near the vending area. This space is not designated for any other purpose at this time. The size of the needed space is negotiable; however, it is preferred that the space not be smaller than 2.5 x 4 feet. Steps will also be taken to ensure that it will not impede the educational table started a few months ago. Concerning the potential for vandalism, a plexiglass box will be used to cover the art piece as well as the statistical data for protection, and the box will need to be anchored to the wall. The cement wall will be able to be puttied where the anchors are inserted at such time that the piece is removed. It was also suggested that the plexiglass stay in place for future projects. These services will incur no cost to the County. Issues related to non - shocking or non- violent abstract art are also being addressed. Meredith Mayer, a local artist and member of the board of directors for the Orange County Rape Crisis Center, has been very flexible in tailoring the piece to accommodate these concerns. The piece is envisioned to be one that is non - violent and represents healing. The desire is to have people embrace the exhibit and want to learn more. As for locating the piece at the Southern Human Services Center, the Orange County Rape Crisis Center thought that the Southern Human Services Building would be an excellent location to educate the community on the services that the OCRCC has to offer as well as its mission to stop sexual violence in Orange County. It is OCRCC's desire to have a piece in the Southern Human Services Building that encompasses the mission of the Orange County Rape Crisis Center as well as meeting the needs of the departments housed in the Southern Human Services Building. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There would be no additional impact to the budget. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board authorize staff to work with OCRCC to review and address the location, security, safety, content appropriateness and other issues related to the art project placement at the Southern Human Services Center. 3 Orange County Rape Crisis Center Mission: To stop sexual violence and its impact through support, education and advocacy,. Vision: A just and equitable world free of sexual violence and all other forms of oppression. Description: The Orange County Rape Crisis Center ( OCRCC) is a private non -profit organization started in 1974. The OCRCC provides support services to survivors of sexual violence, their friends and family members through a 24 -hour crisis /responses line and support groups. The OCRCC also works to raise awareness and aid in the prevention of and response to sexual violence through education and outreach efforts. The OCRCC provides sexual abuse prevention programs to adults and children throughout the Orange County community. In the 2002 -03 fiscal year the Center provided assistance to 378 survivors of sexual violence and their loved ones and reached 9,326 people through community education. The Center was formed in 1974 by women involved in the local chapter of the National Organization for Women who were concerned about a series of sexual violence incidents that occurred in Chapel Hill and Carrboro. During 2004, the OCRCC will observe its 30 °i Anniversary, recognizing the progress that has been made and the work that continues in the fight against sexual violence. Funding: The Center receives support from Orange County, the towns of Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough, the Governor's Crime Commission, the United Way, the North Carolina Council for Women and numerous community, religious and university groups, private individuals and foundations. Recent private funders have included the Chapel Hill Service League, Healthy Carolinians, the Stewards Fund, the Strowd Roses Foundation, and the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation. ;�-� �Y, t,