LOS ANGELES CULTURAL AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT TO ADMINISTER ART EXHIBIT PROGRAMS AT LOS ANGELES, ONTARIO AIRPORTS

(Los Angeles, California -- May 21, 2002) The Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners today approved a memorandum of understanding with the City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department to administer and provide curatorial services for art exhibits programs at Los Angeles International (LAX) and Ontario International (ONT) Airports.

"Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) welcomes the opportunity to work with the Cultural Affairs Department," said Kim Day, LAWA deputy executive director of Project and Facilities Development. "By working with an established sister City department already familiar with local artists, our partnership will simply strengthen our goal of introducing works of art that reflect Los Angeles’ culture and diversity to thousands of passengers."

The purpose of LAWA's Art Exhibits Program is to educate, entertain and amuse the travelling public by showcasing Southern California’s talent. The program emphasizes a cultural experience featuring highlights of what makes the Los Angeles region unique and interesting. The exhibits may be artistic, historical, popular or graphic design in nature and may arise from museums, industry, design, fine art, cultures, theater, archives, sports, environment, transportation or other areas. LAWA currently has art exhibit displays in Terminal 1 and the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX, and in Terminals 2 and 4 at ONT.

Over the past three years, J.D.O. Exhibits, a private art curator, was contracted by LAWA at an average yearly cost of $810,000 to provide all necessary curatorial services related to the preparation and implementation of the airports’ art exhibits programs. J.D.O. Exhibit’s contract expired February 21, 2002, and they are scheduled to remove the current art displays from LAX and ONT on July 1, 2002. The agreement with the Cultural Affairs Department will commence on June 3, 2002, for an annual fee of $88,500. The cost savings of using a City sister agency compared to using a private art curator are over $700,000 a year.

The Cultural Affairs Department has experience in administering and placing arts in public places, artist selection panel facilitation, client department approvals, contract administration, financial management, oversight of artwork fabrication and on-site supervision. In addition to this experience, the Cultural Affairs Department has the ability and resources to showcase other Los Angeles area cultural institutions and special events. Through its Public Art Division, the Cultural Affairs Department currently administers the public art programs for seven other City departments, each individually tailored to that Department’s requirements.

(GP - 5/21/02)