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Every so often, a piece of public art work in Charlotte raises a few eyebrows.
Two years ago, critics vented their frustrations about six earth-colored discs along the Lynx Blue Line. This spring, some panned ceramic mosaics installed on 13 trashcans along Central Avenue.
And now, some residents who live near the new Shuffletown Sportsplex are upset about recently installed art that includes a giant mechanical hand atop a 17-foot base.
Charlotte has had a public arts program for decades, with the city, Mecklenburg County and the Charlotte Area Transit System devoting up to 1 percent of the cost of taxpayer-funded construction projects toward art at the site.
Supporters of the program say it adds creative works and uplift around the community, and can put a spotlight on artists locally and across the nation. But others question whether it is a good use of taxpayer money.
And then there is the artwork. Often times, the pieces – which can be abstract or literal and appear at sites including the airport, parks and along local streets – don't draw much controversy.
But sometimes, a work can draw scrutiny from people who say they don't understand or like a particular piece.
In the 1980s, the Charlotte City Council struck down plans for a proposed bronze sculpture at the former Charlotte Coliseum after it drew ridicule that earned it the nickname of “Gumby.” The art the city finally did install at the coliseum – nine “Topo” holly bushes – also drew criticism.
Even Mayor Pat McCrory has criticized some of the projects, most recently the trash can art work.
The Shuffletown project, with its mechanical hand, represents waving goodbye to the area's past and hello to its future. The county spent a total of $72,750 on the art.
But Bill Jones said some nearby residents and others who have seen the piece feel the hand is waving goodbye and writing off an older neighborhood along with its racing and agricultural history.
“A lot of the people that I showed the hand to said they should have broken off four fingers and left one up there,” said Jones, who lives in the Thomasboro area but serves on the county park department's Northwest District Advisory Council.
Some neighbors raised their concerns at a community meeting last year, and Jones said the advisory council also came out against the piece. He said some neighbors would have liked the piece to focus more on the racing history and have suggested the county add a second piece of art to the park site.
The sportsplex, which was built on part of the old Shuffletown Drag Strip, includes baseball, soccer and football fields. The county spent $3 million on the first phase of the project.
The discord over the Shuffletown project came up during a discussion at last week's county commissioners meeting on the arts program.
Commissioner Karen Bentley asked ASC leaders how public input is solicited for the art.
Jean Greer, an ASC vice president, said a selection panel chooses the artist, who then conducts research for the work, including holding community workshops. But she said efforts to engage stakeholders can vary by project.
ASC President Scott Provancher said the agency welcomes the chance to review its process to “ensure that we are getting folks engaged in the right way and that there's enough opinion around the table that we feel comfortable with moving forward with the project.”
Both the City Council and county commissioners agreed in recent meetings to continue supporting the arts program. But some leaders still question the overall need for the effort.
City Councilman Andy Dulin, who said he still hears from people about the Central Avenue trashcans, said he prefers that money be spent on core city functions like public safety or road projects. He said wise spending is especially important in the current economy, as tax bills rise and budgets are stretched.
The economy is taking its toll on the arts program, too. ASC leaders told county commissioners this week they are not starting any new art pieces in the current budget year because new county construction has been delayed.
