Art Boards:
For Community Members
Welcome to the Swanton Art Boards!
The art boards located in Village-owned public spaces are independently administered by the Swanton Public Art Network (SPAN), a collective of local artists and art aficionados dedicated to promoting public art exhibits that showcase the talents of local artists, aesthetically enhance the community, and celebrate Swanton’s diversity and identity artistic sharing for the benefit of our community. The Network is fortified by its support and connections to artists and funding opportunities.
Start Here
If you're seeking key information that may interest Swanton community members and interested parties about the art board program and/or protocols to submit complaints or concerns about the use of the art boards.
Overview of the Art Board Program Administration?
In 2021, SPAN entered into separate agreements (“MOU”) with the Swanton Village and Town to adopt a process and mutual understanding for the reinstallation and ongoing oversight of the art boards that are installed on public property. SPAN established a set of “Art Board Guidelines” or mutually agreed standards for the Network’s administration of the public art boards in the Swanton Community. Topic areas address:
1. Location on public property
2. Physical specifications
3. Open permissions of use with signed agreement
4. Shared use and availability
5. Temporary use and exhibition
6. Voluntary and not compensated
7. Registration of artistic content
8. Compliance and Enforcement
9. Grievance protocols
Art board guidelines and potential penalties?
Select link to Appendix D for simplified guidelines specific to community members, or if desired, select link to Exhibit A for the complete art board guidelines. Also select link to Appendix B for an outline of potential violations and penalties. All contributing artists and art board users must observe the guidelines when painting the art boards, whether to add an artistic image or to reset (paint over) an art board.
Appendix D - Guidelines for Community Members.pdfExhibit A - Art Board Guidelines.pdfAppendix B - Potential Violations and Penalties.pdfConcerns or Complaints?
The intent of the public art boards is to provide open and broad access to a variety of artistic disciplines and practices that can appeal to Swanton’s diverse community. As a matter of principle, SPAN strives to remain objective about artistic content and does not actively censor artistic content given its mission to support open and impactful expression on the public art boards in the Swanton community that serves many diverse audiences and cultural traditions.
SPAN appreciates the support of the Swanton Village, Swanton Town and Swanton Arts Council; however, our partners are not responsible for management of the art boards. The viewpoints, positions, and opinions expressed on the art boards are solely those of the contributing artists and should not be attributed to the Swanton Public Art Network or Swanton Village/Town Officials.
Regrettably, situations may occur when guidelines are violated, or public art triggers an individual complaint, community upset or social discourse regarding issues or concerns with the art board subject matter or program. The Network’s art board guidelines are intended to minimize issues about artistic content through defined standards, artist agreement and registration, and a limited exhibition period. If these guidelines do not satisfy concerns or complaints, a formal grievance can be directed to the SPAN Administrators via SPAN’s WEBPAGE.
To submit a complaint, the Complainant shall:
a. Complete the complaint form to provide a detailed grievance in writing or via electronic submission on SPAN’s WEBPAGE. The grievance must include the art board location, date on the artistic image, description of the art, nature of the complaint or issue, desired outcome, and the complainant’s name and contact information.
b. Allow 48-72 hours for proper response and investigation to address submitted concerns.
c. Be open to put forth a sincere effort to achieve a constructive resolution their submitted grievance.
d. NOT reset or paint over an artistic image in dispute unless a completed “Art Board User Agreement” is on file AND the two-week exhibition allowance period has expired or otherwise permitted by SPAN in resolution of a properly submitted grievance.
e. Refer to SPAN’s detailed guidelines above for an outline of the grievance protocols.