CITY OF KINGSTON REPORT TO ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES COMMITTEE. Chair and Members of Administrative Policies Committee

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1 CITY OF KINGSTON REPORT TO ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES COMMITTEE TO: FROM: RESOURCE STAFF: Chair and Members of Administrative Policies Committee Cynthia Beach, Commissioner, Sustainability and Growth Paul Robertson, City Curator DATE OF MEETING: SUBJECT: Commissioning of Portraits of Kingston Mayors EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: It is common practice to honour a retiring mayor with a portrait to mark an incumbent s term and serve as an historical record of that individual s contribution to the community and to make a statement about the continuity of civic government. The City of Kingston does not have a policy regarding the creation of official portraits of its mayors either during their term or upon leaving office. In the absence of a consistent guideline for commissioning of mayoral portraits, there are many gaps in the civic collection and most significantly, for Kingston mayors since amalgamation in There is a need for a policy that ensures outgoing mayors are suitably honoured with a portrait and that ensures the historical record is kept complete and preserved for future generations of Kingston residents and in a way that is fiscally sustainable over the long term. In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries Kingston had a tradition of official portraiture of its retired mayors. This tradition has left the City with a significant legacy of historical paintings that now grace the walls of City Hall. The commissioning of official portraits of the City s mayors was suspended in the 1920s and only partially revived in the late 1980s. The paintings of this era were presented as gifts to the City, either by the artist or by friends of the outgoing mayor. At this time staff is recommending the approval of a City of Kingston Policy for Commissioning Mayoral Portraits to formalize the role of the City in the commission and maintenance of an official portrait of each mayor who has served since the creation of the amalgamated City. The City of Kingston will assume all costs related to these new portraits up to a pre-determined limit 17

2 - Page 2 - and for reasons of fiscal responsibility, this Policy recommends that all future portraits be presented as photographs. The Policy sets out a process for establishing a roster of suitably qualified photographers, a timeline for the taking of the portrait and its official unveiling upon the retirement of the outgoing mayor, a protocol for display in City Hall and a management plan for the long-term care and conservation of the collection as part of the civic collection. The policy also proposes that mayors who have served since amalgamation in 1998 for whom the City does not already have an official portrait be invited to sit for an official photographic portrait to be added to the collection, at the City s expense. RECOMMENDATION: THAT the policy with respect to the creation and display of official portraits of recent mayors of the amalgamated City of Kingston attached to report AP as Exhibit A, be approved; and THAT staff be directed to develop a roster of suitable portrait photographers in accordance with the City s purchasing by-laws, policies and procedures; and THAT the City of Kingston assume all costs related to the creation and long-term care of official portraits of City mayors as defined in the policy; and THAT an initial envelope of $15,000 be allocated from the Working Fund Reserve to cover the costs associated with commissioning a portrait of the incumbent Mayor and any previous incumbents who have served since 1998 for whom the City does not already have an official portrait. 18

3 - Page 3 - AUTHORIZING SIGNATURES: Cynthia Beach, Commissioner, Sustainability & Growth Group Gerard Hunt, Chief Administrative Officer CONSULTATION WITH THE FOLLOWING COMMISSIONERS: Lanie Hurdle, Community Services Denis Leger, Transportation, Properties & Emergency Services Jim Keech, President and CEO, Utilities Kingston N/R N/R N/R (N/R indicates consultation not required) 19

4 - Page 4 - OPTIONS/DISCUSSION: It is common practice to honour leading elected and appointed public officials with a portrait. These portraits of record mark an incumbent s term and serve as an historical record of that individual s contribution to a place or organization. In the case of a municipality, they also make a statement about the continuity of civic government. Official portraits are most commonly presented as either paintings or photographs. The City of Kingston does not have a policy regarding the creation of official portraits of its mayors either during their term or upon leaving office. There are gaps in the visual record of the City s civic collection and most significantly for Kingston mayors since amalgamation in Staff recognize the need for a policy that ensures outgoing mayors are suitably honoured with a portrait; the historical record is kept complete for future generations of Kingston residents and is fiscally sustainable over the long term. Past Practice For many years the City of Kingston had a tradition of official portraiture of its mayors and senior officials. More than 60 painted portraits grace the walls of City Hall, 53 of which portray past mayors. As a whole, Kingston s collection of portraits is recognized as one of the most outstanding assemblages of its kind in Canada. As the late Professor J. Douglas Smith of the Department of Art at Queen s University wrote in 2006, As a collection, the series... is outstanding. It is probably unique in Canada in its scope. As a collection of civic portraits it reflects that tremendous pride in civic life and achievements which was such a distinctive feature of nineteenth and early twentieth century life. The earliest of these paintings captures William Ford Jr. who was mayor in 1848 and the most recent portrait portrays Gary Bennett who served as Kingston s mayor from In the past, it is believed that Council commissioned and paid artists to capture the likeness of each incumbent. Until the 1930s mayors in Ontario only served for one year terms, hence the large number of official portraits in the civic collection today. The portraits are also of interest artistically. Many individual works are by the fashionable, academic portrait painters of the day, such as J.W.L. Forster, Sir Wyly Grier, and Kenneth Forbes. The largest single group of works are by nineteenth-century artist William Sawyer who painted 26 of Kingston s mayors. Sawyer s portraits provide a splendid visual record of prominent Kingstonians in the last half of the nineteenth century. The tradition of commissioning painted portraits of mayors went into abeyance between the early 1920s and the late1980s. It is not known why this happened, but rising costs may have been a factor. The most recent additions to the collection are portraits of mayors John Gerretsen, Helen Cooper, and Gary Bennett. These paintings were not commissioned by the City; all were given as gifts for display in City Hall by the artists themselves or friends of the former mayor. These examples are now part of the civic collection. 20

5 - Page 5 - Other photographic portraits of former mayors of Kingston (from the1880s until 2000) and reeves of Pittsburgh and Kingston townships are displayed in the basement level of City Hall outside the Royal Way. Official Portrait Research Most jurisdictions record likenesses of their senior elected officials in the form of official portraits. These can be simple photographic images, or more elaborate three quarter length oil paintings. Nowadays, given the high cost of painted portraits, this latter form is generally reserved for senior elected and appointed officials such as prime ministers, governors general and lieutenant governors. Research shows that the high cost of commissioning painted portraits is prohibitive and has lead civic officials to move to photography as a more cost effective solution. Common for formal portraiture since the late nineteenth century, a high-quality photographic portrait taken by an experienced photographer is just as successful at capturing the essence of the sitter and using a media that is much more flexible, contemporary and accessible. A brief survey of artists who specialise in painted portraits revealed that a modest sized painting (24 x 36 ) could cost about $10,000 with an additional $2,000 to $5,000 for framing. Senior artists of good reputation and a recognized body of work can command much higher fees. A similar survey of portrait photographers indicated that a similar sized framed photographic portrait could range in price from $750 to $1,150. Portraits of Mayors of Kingston since Amalgamation Although a significant group of documentary paintings already exists in the City s civic collection, the collection of Kingston mayoral portraits is far from complete. Of particular concern are the gaps in portraits of recent incumbents since amalgamation with Kingston and Pittsburgh Townships in For the new City of Kingston, a complete set of official portraits of postamalgamation mayors on the walls of City Hall is a symbolic bridge linking the past to the present. The City of Kingston Policy for Commissioning Mayoral Portraits formalizes the role of the City in the commissioning and maintenance of an official portrait of each mayor who has served since the creation of the amalgamated City. The City of Kingston will assume all costs related to these new portraits up to a pre-determined limit and for reasons of fiscal responsibility this policy recommends that all future official portraits of mayors be photographs taken by highly qualified and recognized portrait photographers. The policy sets out a process for establishing a roster of suitably qualified photographers by Request for Information (RFI), a timeline for the mayor s sitting with the photographer, the 21

6 - Page 6 - official unveiling of the portrait upon the retirement of the outgoing mayor, a protocol for display in City Hall, and a management plan for the long-term care and conservation of the collection as part of the civic collection. The policy also proposes that mayors who have served since amalgamation in 1998 for whom the City does not already have an official portrait be invited to sit for an official photographic portrait to be added to the collection, at the City s expense. The mayor (or former mayor) will have final say in the selection of the photographic image chosen as the official portrait. The City of Kingston s financial responsibility includes all costs associated with the commissioning, framing, hanging and long-term maintenance of official mayor s portraits. An appropriate baseline value based upon current market prices for photographic portraits and adjusted for inflation will be included in the Cultural Services budget allocation in years in which elections fall. In 2013, it is suggested that an initial envelope of $15,000 be allocated from the Working Fund Reserve to cover the costs associated with commissioning a portrait of the incumbent Mayor and any previous incumbents who have served since 1998 for whom the City does not already have an official portrait. A protocol for placement and hanging of recent mayor s portraits will be established by the City Curator, Cultural Services in accordance with the forthcoming City Hall Management Plan. EXISTING POLICY/BY LAW: By-law No , A By-law to Establish Purchasing Policies and Procedures NOTICE PROVISIONS: N/A ACCESSIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS: N/A FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS: The City of Kingston will take responsibility for all costs associated with the commissioning, framing, hanging and long-term maintenance of official mayor s portraits. An appropriate maximum value based upon current market prices for photographic portraits and adjusted annually for inflation will be included in the Cultural Services budget allocation in years in which elections fall. In 2013, it is estimated that an initial envelope of $15,000 be allocated from the Working Fund Reserve to cover the costs associated with commissioning a portrait of the incumbent Mayor and any previous incumbents who have served since 1998 for whom the City does not already have an official portrait. 22

7 - Page 7 - CONTACTS: Paul Robertson, City Curator (613) ext Colin Wiginton, Manager, Cultural Services (613) ext OTHER CITY OF KINGSTON STAFF CONSULTED: Annalee Adair, Manager, Community Engagement and Education Sarah Forsyth, Civic Collection Technician Desiree Kennedy, City Treasurer EXHIBITS ATTACHED: Exhibit A City of Kingston Policy for Commissioning Mayoral Portraits 23

8 City of Kingston Policies and Procedures Cultural Services CITY OF KINGSTON POLICY FOR COMMISSIONING MAYORAL PORTRAITS Effective Date TBD Revision Date N/A Revision No. 1.0 Page No. 1 of POLICY STATEMENT Official portraits honour and preserve the memory of former mayors of Kingston in a tangible form. These portraits of record mark an incumbent s term and serve as an historical record of the contributions of the City s leading elected official to civic life and governance. 2.0 PURPOSE Although a significant group of documentary paintings already exists in Kingston s civic collection, the collection of mayoral portraits is far from complete. Of particular concern are the gaps in portraits of recent incumbents since the City s amalgamation with Kingston and Pittsburgh Townships in The purpose of this policy is to formalize the role of the City in the commissioning and maintenance of an official portrait of each retired mayor of Kingston who has served since the creation of the amalgamated City and to provide procedural guidelines for the maintenance of such a program. The City of Kingston will assume all costs related to these new portraits up to a predetermined limit and for reasons of fiscal responsibility this policy recommends that all future official portraits of mayors be photographs taken by highly qualified and recognized portrait photographers. The policy sets out a process for the establishment of a roster of suitably qualified photographers by Request for Information (RFI), a timeline for the mayor s sitting with the photographer, the official unveiling of the portrait upon the retirement of the outgoing mayor, a protocol for display in City Hall, and a management plan for the long-term care and conservation of the collection as part of the civic collection. The policy also provides for mayors who have served since amalgamation in 1998 for whom the City does not already have an official portrait. These individuals will be invited to sit for an official photographic portrait to be added to the collection, at the City s expense. 24

9 CITY OF KINGSTON POLICY FOR COMMISSIONING MAYORAL PORTRAITS Page 2 of REVISION HISTORY Date Rev. No. Change Ref. Section 1.0 New document Not applicable 4.0 DEFINITIONS For the purpose of this policy, an official mayoral portrait is a photographic likeness of a person who has served as Mayor of Kingston since amalgamation of the former City with Kingston Township and Pittsburgh Township in This likeness depicts the face and either half or three-quarters of the body. 5.0 RESPONSIBILITIES 5.1 General Provisions The City of Kingston Policy for Commissioning Mayoral Portraits will be maintained by the Cultural Services Department in cooperation with the Office of the Mayor, the City Clerk s Office, and Facilities Management. Mayors of Kingston who have served since amalgamation have the privilege of sitting for a formal photographic portrait to become part of the official Kingston historical record. The City of Kingston will only be financially responsible for all aspects of the creation and long-term maintenance of mayor s portraits. Budget allocations for all aspects of the City of Kingston portrait collection will included in the Cultural Services annual budget. As much as is possible, mayoral portraits, both historical and modern, will be displayed in publicly accessible areas of City Hall. Once received and accepted, official portraits become the property of the City of Kingston. 5.2 Format The acceptable standard for all future official portraits of Kingston s mayors that are funded by the City of Kingston will portray the sitter in half or three-quarter length, in either colour or black and white photography, with upper limit dimensions of 36 inches by 48 inches (91 cm by 122 cm). 5.3 Incumbent Mayor s Role Incumbent mayors will have their official photographic portraits taken at time they assume office. Incumbents will have the opportunity to select their photographer from the approved roster maintained by Cultural Services, but they may also request that 25

10 CITY OF KINGSTON POLICY FOR COMMISSIONING MAYORAL PORTRAITS Page 3 of 4 Cultural Services make the selection on their behalf. After the photographic session, incumbents will have the right to final selection of the photograph chosen to represent them as the official portrait. This image can be used by incumbents during their term of office for purposes related to their role as mayor (such as for the City website), or can be held in reserve until they retire from office. Whichever option incumbents choose, the unveiling and display of an official portrait of a retired mayor will not take place until the individual has left office. 5.4 City Responsibilities Cultural Services will facilitate all aspects of the commissioning of new portraits and the long-term maintenance, documentation and promotion of the portrait collection, both historical and modern. Cultural Services will work with the Purchasing Division and a jury of peers to establish a roster of qualified portrait photographers through the City s Request for Information (RFI) process, basing the selection upon the photographer s demonstrated experience, reputation in the photographic and artistic community, and fees. This roster shall be reviewed from time to time to keep it up to date. After the incumbent or retired mayor (retroactive to 1998) has selected the final image to be used as the official portrait, Cultural Services staff will arrange for framing of the work, documentation, suitable site for display in City Hall, and storage of the portrait until its official unveiling. The unveiling ceremonies will be arranged at the retirement of an incumbent mayor. Cultural Services, working with the Office of the Mayor, will arrange for the public unveiling ceremony and accompanying publicity at a time suitable to the portrait sitter. The City Curator will develop a protocol for placement and display of official portraits in City Hall in accordance with the hanging plan for all historical official portraits developed in accordance with the forthcoming City Hall Management Plan. The City Curator will coordinate arrangements for the display of new portraits or moving of existing works with Facilities Management. The City of Kingston will take responsibility for all costs associated with the commissioning, framing, documentation, hanging, promotion and long-term maintenance of official mayor s portraits. An appropriate maximum value based upon current market prices for high-quality photographic portraits and adjusted annually for inflation will be included in the Cultural Services budget allocation in years in which elections fall. 5.5 Gifts of Mayoral Portraits Under this policy, gifts of mayoral portraits will only be considered if the portrait being gifted adheres to the terms as outlined in Section 5.2 Format, involves a qualified 26

11 CITY OF KINGSTON POLICY FOR COMMISSIONING MAYORAL PORTRAITS Page 4 of 4 photographer selected from the roster as established by the City of Kingston and framing that is selected in consultation with City staff to ensure consistency of presentation. 6 MONITORING Cultural Services and Facilities Management will work together to ensure that all appropriate steps are taken in the proper installation and maintenance of official portraits of mayors. Most often, these portraits will be displayed in City Hall, but this policy does not preclude their short or long-term display in other venues from time to time as determined by the City Curator. Cultural Services will maintain an inventory of mayor s portraits on the Civic Collection database. Cultural Services will be responsible for monitoring the condition of portraits and recommend conservation cleaning and treatment as required. This treatment may require the temporary removal of a portrait to be shipped off-site. Portraits may also be displayed on a rotational basis if restricted space or long-term preservation of the work of art indicates a resting period in storage would be beneficial. The City reserves the right to reposition or remove a portrait at its discretion. No removal of a portrait placed in City Hall or other designated site is to be effected until the City Curator has been contacted. The City Curator will work with Facilities Management to remove, and if appropriate, replace the portrait when the space becomes available again, or if appropriate, to relocate the portrait to a new space as outlined in the plan for hanging of mayor s portraits. In the event the portrait is not to be reinstated, the City Curator will make arrangements for its safe long-term housing within the civic collection storage facility. 27