Int. No. 1439-A

By Council Members Salamanca, Rosenthal, Cumbo, Koslowitz, Chin, Adams, Rivera, Ayala, Gibson, Ampry-Samuel, Van Bramer, Levine and Kallos

A Local Law to amend the New York city charter, in relation to increasing the percentage of women depicted in works of art belonging to the city and requiring the art commission to foster diversity among the subjects and themes depicted in works of art belonging to the city

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1. Section 857 of the New York city charter is amended by adding new subdivisions c and d to read as follows:

c. The commission shall establish a goal that at least 50 percent of new works of art that depict a nonfictional person, historical or otherwise, depict women.

d. The commission shall provide agencies with guidance on submitting works of art depicting a diverse range of subjects and themes. Such guidance shall include strategies to increase the representation of women among works of art depicting nonfictional persons, historical or otherwise, to promote equitable representation.

§ 2. Subdivision 2 of section 859 of the New York city charter, as added by local law number 17 for the year 2017, is amended to read as follows:

2. Not later than August 1, 2018 and no later than August 1 every year thereafter, the commission shall submit to the mayor and the speaker of the council and post online a report with the following data for the previous calendar year.

i. Total number of submissions received by the commission, including submissions for conceptual, preliminary and final review, and disaggregated by the following:

(a) Construction, renovation, or restoration of structures, including but not limited to buildings and bridges;

(b) Construction or reconstruction of parks, open spaces, and streetscapes;

(c) Distinctive sidewalks;

(d) Distinctive lighting;

(e) Newsstands;

(f) Signage;

(g) Installation of new works of art;

(h) Conservation of works of art;

(i) Removal or relocation of works of art;

(j) Private structures extending over or upon city-owned land;

ii. (a) Total number of submissions received by the commission where the review cycle extended into the following year;

(b) Total number of submissions received by the commission prior to the year being reported that were not acted upon by the commission in the year being reported;

iii. Number of submissions acted or commented upon, disaggregated by the following:

(a) Number of submissions approved;

(b) Number of submissions approved with conditions;

(c) Number of submissions rejected in whole;

(d) Number of submissions commented upon;

iv. (a) Percentage of submissions acted upon in one review cycle;

(b) Percentage of submissions acted upon in two review cycles;

(c) Percentage of submissions acted upon in three or more review cycles;

v. Number of submissions received, disaggregated by city agency and borough;

vi. Names of commission members during the year being reported;

vii. Summary of methods or procedure used to determine approval or rejection of submissions;

viii. Number of new works of art that would depict a nonfictional person, historical or otherwise, including a description of each such work of art; the agency which submitted each such work of art; and whether each such submission was approved, approved with conditions, rejected, or commented upon;

ix. Summary of guidance provided to agencies pursuant to subdivision d of section 857; and

x. Any other information the commission deems relevant.

§ 3. This local law takes effect 120 days after it becomes law.

BAM

LS # 8526

5/9/2019 4:00 PM