A local artist seeking to develop a new sculpture park in the heart of Gainesville is hoping to receive funds from the city.
James Lasley, a sculpture artist, came up with the idea of installing public art around Gainesville from similar projects in cities such as DeLand, Kissimmee and Palatka.
The only difference is the displays would be temporary, unlike in other counties.
Lasley will present his idea to the City Commission. He said he believes city commissioners would be open to the idea because temporary art pieces are more easily managed.
“In a city management point of view, there would be no headaches having to constantly maintain the sculptures as new artwork would be replaced every year,” he said.
Participating artists would receive about $1,000 to come to Gainesville to install the pieces, and the city would not have to pay hefty fees to install permanent platforms, he added.
William J. Eyerly, executive director of Gainesville Association of the Creative Arts, said a sculpture park could be a positive opportunity for locals.
“Children, adults and families able to enjoy and critique pieces of art in any form is a great idea,” Eyerly said. “The more arts we can get, the more we can benefit as a community.”
A version of this story ran on page 9 on 10/15/2013 under the headline "Temporary outdoor art exhibits suggested for Gainesville." This story has been updated to reflect a correction.
