Public Art: What Role Should the City Play?

Are you ready to help the city of Walnut Creek frame its plan for more public art? The city is asking residents to weigh in on the latest round of the Public Arts Master Plan, a document approved in 2000 designed to guide city officials through the sometimes-touchy minefield of art meeting government.

“The experience of public art makes a public space seem more welcoming; it creates a deeper interaction with the places we visit and in which we work and live,” according to the master place mission statement. “It helps us remember the past, honor an ideal, and express our values and concerns to future generations.”

The city wants major new development projects to include a public art component. To achieve that, the master plan outlines the required amount a project must set aside for art, what kinds of art are allowed and what kinds are not, and the process for examining and approving submission of such works.

Though everyone could probably agree that art is an essential component of humanity, everyone certainly does not agree that government should be involved in its creation, funding or approval. And since most art is nothing if not subjective, any government-approved artwork is likely to be the source of substantial derision from critics. The most recent example would be Fountain Head, installed last year on North Main St. But how many people remember the Spirit Poles in Concord?

Now that the city is eyeing more development in the downtown area, the subject of public art is being examined as well. Thus the city is soliciting citizen opinions on the Public Art Master Plan. To that end, .

Topics will include a discussion of murals, and whether or not public art should be integrated into downtown spaces. For more information, call (925) 943-5458, or RSVP to hashimoto@walnut-creek.org.