Santa Cruz Parks & Recreation Commission · Monday, October 12, 2026, 4:00 PM · Item 3 · General Business

NotableParks, arts & recreation

Credit union offers artwork "Fruit of Their Labors" on long-term loan to London Nelson Center

In plain English

The Santa Cruz Community Credit Union wants to lend the City a large 1986 oil painting, "Fruit of Their Labors" by artist Robert Chiarito, measuring about 9 feet by 13 feet, so it can hang for public viewing at the London Nelson Community Center, 301 Center Street. The credit union proposes a seven-year loan beginning December 1, 2026 and ending December 1, 2033, while keeping full ownership of the painting. At this meeting the Parks and Recreation Commission is not approving a loan; a yes vote would simply receive the information, give feedback on the standards staff drafted for judging artwork loans, and send the proposal to the Arts Commission for review. Staff would then work out insurance, liability, installation and interpretation details with the City Attorney and Risk Management before any final decision.

People who use the London Nelson Community Center for recreation, cultural and neighborhood activities would see the painting on display during operating hours, and the criteria the Commission weighs in on would set the pattern for how the City handles future requests from other organizations wanting to put privately owned art in City buildings.

Key facts

  • The painting is oil on canvas by Robert Chiarito, roughly 9 feet by 13 feet, commissioned by the credit union in 1986 and debuted on April 17, 1986.
  • Proposed loan term is seven years, from December 1, 2026 to December 1, 2033, with the credit union retaining 100% ownership and the option to extend by mutual agreement.
  • Estimated/agreed value of the artwork is listed as "$6,000 (estimated)"; it currently hangs at 324 Front Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060.
  • Staff list no immediate fiscal impact: no General Fund impact, no budget adjustment, and no ongoing expenditure commitment from receiving this report.
  • Staff also considered the Depot Park Freight Building and the Harvey West Clubhouse, but public accessibility was a strong consideration for the credit union.
  • Next steps would include Arts Commission review, City Attorney and Risk Management consultation, and a final installation and exhibition report.

Reasons to support

  • The work is a large-scale painting with local roots \u2014 commissioned in 1986 by a Santa Cruz credit union founded in 1977 and painted by an artist who earned his undergraduate degree at UC Santa Cruz and taught there \u2014 so it may hold cultural and historical interest for residents and visitors.
  • London Nelson Community Center hosts year-round recreational, cultural, educational and neighborhood activities, so the painting would be seen by the public rather than kept in a private lobby, and there is no purchase or acquisition cost to the City.
  • Staff propose standardized criteria \u2014 public benefit, local connection, physical and safety suitability, a professional condition assessment, clearly assigned costs, and consistency with City policy \u2014 so future requests from other groups are judged consistently rather than case by case.

Reasons to oppose or change it

  • The credit union's own request contains conflicting cost terms: one section says the credit union pays for transportation, installation, security, insurance, maintenance, removal, storage and return, while the Financial Impact section says the City "will be responsible for all costs associated with the care, protection, display, and eventual return of the artwork." The City could end up paying unless this is resolved.
  • The proposal would make the City responsible for loss or damage while the painting is in its possession, and it may not be moved or repaired without the owner's written approval \u2014 risk and restrictions on a City facility wall for a work the City will never own, valued at an estimated $6,000.
  • Staff themselves flag equity concerns about hosting privately owned art: displaying a painting commissioned by a named credit union in a public building, with interpretive plaques describing that 1986 commission, raises the question of how the City avoids appearing to endorse a private business and how it will answer the next organization that asks.
  • Basic details are still inconsistent \u2014 the artwork is called "Fruit of Their Labors" in the staff report and "The Fruits of Our Labor" in the credit union's request, which is addressed to the "Santa Cruz County Art Commission" rather than the City's Arts Commission.

Official wording

Consideration of a Proposed Long-Term Loan and Display of Fruit of Their Labors at London Nelson Community Center Receive information regarding a proposal from the Santa Cruz Community Credit Union (SCCCU) to 1) place the artwork Fruit of Their Labors on loan to the City of Santa Cruz for public display at the London Nelson Community Center; and 2) provide feedback on proposed evaluation criteria for a future loan agreement; and 3) refer the proposal for review by the Arts Commission as part of the City's public art and cultural resource review process.
Official agenda

Summary written by claude-opus-5 from the agenda and the Staff report (agenda packet, pages 17-25). It can contain mistakes. The official documents govern.