Artist Peter Diepenbrock, of Jamestown, works on the welding of his sculpture, Torsion III, which will be installed in front of Lippitt Hall on the URI campus.

The Providence Journal / Frieda Squires

PROVIDENCE — Over two decades, Rhode Island has spent nearly $3 million on public art, under a program bringing larger-than-life sculptures to its convention center grounds and bright paintings to the walls of Zambarano Hospital.

But with the state facing a multimillion-dollar deficit, a group of lawmakers says Rhode Island can no longer afford to designate so many tax dollars for the arts and has proposed dimming the lights on the program.

Prompted by those concerns, the state Senate this week launched a review of the law that requires at least 1 percent of construction budgets for new or refurbished state buildings be spent on art work. In the coming weeks, a legislative panel is expected to recommend amending the initiative, or possibly abolishing it.

Rhode Island’s public art program, resembling those in 25 other states, has commissioned well-known artists to create more than three dozen exhibits, from murals to stone works, at universities and other public institutions.

The latest project, unveiled this week, will enlist famed public artist and Rhode Island School of Design Prof. Mikyoung Kim to build a tranquil urban park and “horizon garden” outside the renovated Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence.

But the state program is also the force behind more controversial public art projects including those dubbed by critics as “the cloud machine” –– an ill-fated installation that would have pumped clouds into the terminal at T.F. Green Airport, but was scrapped amid public outcry –– and “the bird machine,” a 2008 sound recording at the new Kent County Courthouse that mimicked birds chirping and incited similar furor.

“I think art has a place in the construction projects that we do, but listening to some of what some of the constituents in our state said [about the Kent County installation], I think we need to look at this formula,” said Sen. Frank A. Ciccone III, D-North Providence, who sits on the new review commission.

As the cost of public construction has swelled in recent years, so have the price tags for the accompanying art, making it a less manageable investment, Ciccone said. A sagging economy has only magnified that problem.

The arts community believes that while the program might need some updating, Rhode Island would make a grave mistake in abandoning the law that has helped beautify its facilities, drawing visitors and the dollars they bring.

“During economic downturns, it is difficult to balance support of the arts and charitable causes with the needs of those who are [struggling], said Randall Rosenbaum, director of the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, which oversees the selection process. “In our minds, it’s not an either or situation.”

More to the point, Rosenbaum says, “The arts aren’t just about feeding the soul, they are really about the economic recovery of our state.”

The massive installations at the Rhode Island Convention Center don’t just make the place look nice, he said, they create an atmosphere that helps distinguish Providence from potential convention sites in other cities.

A study by the New England Foundation for the Arts estimates that Rhode Island’s arts community contributes upwards of $750 million to the state’s economy each year.

“In terms of competitiveness with other states across the nation, we are certainly not winning with the high taxes and economic conditions we have,” said Lisa Carnevale, director of Rhode Island Citizens for the Arts. “But we are winning with our quality of life and with our creative arts community. It’s a statement that makes us unique as a state and the public art program showcases this to people who visit us.”

Sen. Leonidas P. Raptakis, D- Coventry, who chairs the review commission, said these are the issues the panel (which includes Rosenbaum and local arts leaders) must weigh against costs as it considers the fate of the program. It expects to offer a recommendation to the legislature by mid-May.

On the list of considerations is a compromise option, put forth by Rep. Eileen Naughton, D-Warwick, that would limit the art funds set aside to three-quarters of one percent of construction costs, and channel some of that money to community art projects. The Council on the Arts has suggested the state might also consider prioritizing a certain number of projects each year, reining in costs while relieving pressure on the resourced-strapped agency.

The commission must further decide if wants to limit the artist pool to Rhode Island residents, or revamp the future selection process. Currently for each project, the council oversees selection teams made up of public representatives and those from the agency where the piece will be featured.

Which is how the infamous “bird machine” found its way to the Warwick courthouse. The selection committee said it wanted a new media project that reflected the modern feel of the building. The sound installation, created by an acclaimed artist was the unanimous pick.

Sen. Leo R. Blais, R-Coventry, who sits on the Senate panel, defended the courthouse installation as an example of how the Rhode Island arts program has stretched public perception of creativity, while adorning the state with unique artistic images.

“Just because people don’t understand a piece of artwork doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be funding it,” Blais said. “If we just funded what we knew people would understand and like, all we’d see are bronze busts of famous people.”

cneedham@projo.com