Airport Arts Program Will Get Trial Run : Exhibitions: County supervisors have voted to establish an arts program at the new John Wayne terminal.

It appears that Orange County will join other metropolitan centers across the nation and have artwork at its major airport--at least through next spring.

The Orange County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted unanimously to establish an arts program at the new terminal at John Wayne Airport and approved the creation of a five-member advisory airport arts commission. The program, as envisioned by a task force, would feature visual art displays and possibly performing arts events, to begin upon the opening of the new $50-million terminal, which recently was pushed back to Sept. 1.

But it was approved on a trial basis only, to run through June, 1991, because airport officials are concerned that the program could interfere with their primary duty to transport passengers, said Supervisor Thomas F. Riley. After the trial period, airport staff will recommend whether to continue the program.

The Orange County Airport Commission and staff questioned whether the arts program should include acquisition of artworks for a permanent collection--in addition to presenting temporary, changing exhibits--and incur the expense of purchase and long-term preservation of art.

“We were concerned about becoming a museum for art,” said Airport Manager George A. Rebella after the regular board meeting at the Hall of Administration. “The staff is leaning toward having rotating exhibits.”

The supervisors therefore voted to delay a decision whether to pursue art acquisitions until airport staff and the arts commission complete a study more clearly defining “costs related to the purchase, maintenance, security and insurance of artwork and their impact on airport operations,” said Riley, whose 5th District encompasses the airport.

The board, which approved an initial arts program budget of $40,000 for the rest of the 1989-90 fiscal year ending June 30, also voted to ban use of those funds to purchase art until the acquisition study is completed.

The supervisors also said that before a director is hired, county personnel and airport staff will decide whether the position should be full time and, as recommended by the John Wayne Airport Arts Task Force, require five years of professional experience in arts administration.

Said Courtney Wiercioch, an aide to Riley, after the meeting: “I know the task force wants someone who knows art and the airport staff wants someone who knows airport operations. This should be interesting.”

Money for the arts program will come from the airport “enterprise fund” generated through fees charged airlines and other airport users. A budget for the next fiscal year will be submitted to the board by the arts commission and evaluated in relation to other airport expenditures. Airport staff have said an annual budget may be considerably less than a $250,000 spending plan used as a model by the 12-member task force, appointed last March.

The task force, charged with creating a basic plan for the arts program, recommended that it feature art ranging from traditional to contemporary, that it annually stage four changing exhibits organized by professional curators, performance arts events such as music and dance presentations, an inaugural exhibit to coincide with terminal’s opening, and the acquisition of two artworks per year.