ROCKLAND — Rockland’s Mayor Larry Pritchett did an excellent job moderating a special Rockland Council meeting Wednesday evening, March 19, as the community talked about how to accept and display art on city-owned property. As a panel of museum directors, volunteers and city officials moved through two hours of discussion, Pritchett kept the conversation on point.

Rockland has already placed three concrete slabs at the Ferry Terminal and one in Holbrook Park for the purpose of hosting and displaying art.

According to Community Development Director, John Holden, Rockland has applied for a $75,000 National Endowment for the Arts grant to help promote the arts in Rockland.

The city won’t know if it has received the grant until July and no money will be available from the grant until October.

If approved, grant money will be used to fund three positions to analyze the art market in Rockland, help brand it, and work with the community of local artists.

Rockland is considering whether to appoint an arts commission, ad hoc committee, or panel for the purpose of approving art to be placed on city property.

Bill Pearce, of the Parks Commission, said his committee did not want to be put in the position of determining what art is. He said an arts commission would take the pressure off of the Parks Commission in determining what art is and leave them to concentrate on the parks themselves.

Chris Brownawell, director of Farnsworth Art Museum, said he did not want to see the city strangle itself on too many details too quickly.

“The collective wisdom here say that arts can play a significant roll economically and so many other ways,” he said. “Maybe a good way for the city to get its foot in this whole process would be to set up a sub-committee under Parks and Recreation. Address those pads and just see where we go. A year from now we might decide that it really doesn’t address all the needs, but it’s a start.”

A public art and cultural committee would be made up of the following members: Two at-large resident members; two individuals who work in Rockland who are artists, designers, or architects; two members of a recognized art organization; one member of a Main Street business (not strictly Main Street); one teacher or instructor in the field of arts and one student member from a high school, college or vocational school. Ex-officio members would consist of one city council member and the city manager, or his designee.

 it was important to recognize the value of art to the city and that the city needed some type of entity to deal with art.

“What type of legislation are we going to support to get this going,” said Councilor Eric Hebert. “We have this great panel of experts in front of us. Do we start small and move forward or do we vault ahead and start with a commission.”

Members of the panel agreed to start small and move forward. Cowan said a graduated approach would be best. See the pattern and set a goal. He said there was a need to start using the sculpture pads the city has. There needs to be an application process to be knowledgeable and the community involved. Acting City Manager Tom Luttrell said that no one has submitted a request to put art on any of the pads.

Start small was echoed almost unanimously by the panel. Brownawell said it wasn’t necessary for a committee to meet every week or even every month. He said the council needs something in the way of an advisory capacity to help the city work through art related issues.

Robin MacIntosh, of the Pen Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce, said it was a great opportunity for the city. She said the chamber would support the city with whatever decision was made.

Brian Harden, of the Rockland Historical Society, asked to be involved in a committee.

“What you have to remember is that art police are not looked on favorably in this country,” he said. “The Rockland Historical Society has a serious interest in art in the city. The ferry terminal was once the city dump. Please allow us to be involved with you however you go forward because art is culture and culture is history and we want to be involved in that culture.”

Councilors tentatively agreed that the best way to start would be an ad hoc committee. Pritchett said there was a need to see if indeed the grant was awarded, but there was a need to get started. The council will decide on whether to establish an arts commission at its next regularly scheduled meeting.