TITLE
Recommendation to request City Manager to work with the Arts Council for Long Beach to determine the costs and appropriate steps for creating a Long Beach Public Art Smartphone Application, "See Long Beach," and report back to City Council within 30 days with a recommendation.
DISCUSSION
Last year, the City of Long Beach launched "Go Long Beach," an application for smartphones that enables residents to report graffiti, potholes, and other neighborhood issues to the City instantly, and to include a picture and GPS information to expedite the case. Go Long Beach has been a resounding success, with over 2,500 cases reported and closed through the smartphone application.
Long Beach has hundreds of public art installations, murals, sculptures, utility box art, and other work throughout the city. A smartphone application that would allow users to instantly view and download information and images about these art pieces and the artists would be an extremely valuable resource for residents and visitors.
The GPS in the smartphone would allow users to search for public art by their location, type of art, or artist. The technology currently exists to create this application, and Long Beach certainly has ample public art to make such an application useful. Public art is one of the ways a city can distinguish itself as a cultural leader. Other cities, including Portland have created similar smartphone applications.
The application could also include public art at both Cal State Long Beach and Long Beach City College. If the application is successful as expected, a tab for historical sites and or historical buildings could be included.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no cost associated with this motion outside staff time. The cost of actually developing the application should be included in the City Manager's report.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
COUNCILMEMBER ROBERT GARCIA
FIRST DISTRICT
VICE MAYOR SUJA LOWENTHAL
SECOND DISTRICT...
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