About
Leesa Strimbicki
The Principal of Urban Art Management has over thirteen years professional experience in the field of Public Art. This experience spans both Public Art Program management and Public Art Consultation. This experience spans both Public Art program management and Public Art Consultation. In addition, Leesa’s training and background in Landscape Architecture gives her the unique ability to draw on her understanding of the built and natural environment, and guide the successful integration of public art into the public realm.
Leesa has managed many public art programs for private developments. She has worked with public art proponents in the private sector, such as developers, architects and investors. In addition to her local experience she has worked with SWON Design Group, based in Montreal, Dan Corson and Jack Mackie, artists and public art policy developers based in Seattle and Bob Warren, architect and public art advocate based in London, UK.
Leesa's experience is an advantage when assessing the contextual constraints and opportunities inherent in potential art sites. Similarly it gives her the objectivity required to liaise with artists, developers, municipal staff and the community. She has a clear comprehension of how to interpret the needs of the client with respect to providing excellent service and a commitment to quality.
Mission
Urban Art Management provides assistance in the creation of art policy and procedures, which provide the tools necessary to implement public art in private development and the urban environment that is timeless, and memorable.
The goals of Urban Art Management are to:
- ensure the smooth integration of art into the cultural fabric of the City;
- foster the relationship between the artist — the design community — the developer — the municipality and the community;
- provide public art consultation which is current, informed and professional.
Public art has the ability, when integrated into a space to forge links between the built environment and the natural world. Habitats that affect our daily lives could be not only places for art, but also places available to the public that bring importance, cohesion and focus to the community at large.
By organizing, intensifying and clarifying what is already present, public art can then provide a means for preserving, educating, enhancing and making new spaces into places which have meaning for the people who live and work in the community.
Urban Art Management has over 13 years experience with initiatives such as public art facilitation, graphic presentations, municipal workshops, public art education, and master plan development.
The artistic embodiment of public art is one which many communities have embraced. It is not surprising then, that in today's competitive marketplace many developers have realized that public art can benefit their projects, be it residential or commercial. Public art can play an important role in the enhancement and creative aesthetic of a project. Art can create a unique reinforcement and identity for a project and set it apart from the competition. At the same time, it can help to add value to a property and to create an urban environment that is interesting, dynamic and artistic for the community at large
Public art not only gives a project identification, but it makes a project stand out among the competition and provides major promotional benefits. Art has assisted developers and corporations in gaining significant project name identification and a corporate reputation as cultural contributors in their community.
The concept of adding an artist to an engineering or architectural team is not without some cost. The artist must be paid, similar to any consultant however, the benefit of what transpires, often outweighs the added cost.
Awards and Media
Awards, Publications and Media Reviews
Publications
- Arts Alive Magazine
- Landscape Architecture Magazine, July 1993 - "Excellence in Communication & Design"
- Marketing Program - Official Unveiling, North Shore Rhapsody and Joe Bustemente Trumpet
- City of North Vancouver Door Knob Hangar
Commendations
- Plain Language Institute - April 6, 1992
- North Shore News, Hear Ye Hear Ye Column
- Landscape Architecture Magazine, July 1993
- Marketing Program for Official Unveiling of North Shore Rhapsody and Joe Bustemente Trumpet
Awards
- Design Award of Excellence 2000, City of North Vancouver Bus Shelter
Reviews
- July 14, 1999 - The Vancouver Sun, Regional Roundup, North Vancouver Public Art Program
- April, 1999 - CBC Radio, North by Northwest with David Grierson, North Vancouver Bus Shelter
- May, 1992 - Arts Access, Shaw Cable, Northshore Rhapsody and Joe Bustemente Trumpet
