Major donor pledged to Stillwater public art program

The Stillwater City Council gave first reading approval Monday to an ordinance establishing a formal public art program that would enable the city to accept donations and create a committee to oversee artwork throughout the community.

City Manager Brady Moore announced a community partner has agreed to launch the program with a significant donation once established.

"We have a community partner who has agreed to a sizable donation to help kick this program off, and we hope to be announcing that at a city council meeting soon, so help give some momentum to this new project," Moore said during the Jan. 26 meeting.

Ordinance No. 3591 would transition the existing Stillwater Art Integration initiative into an official city program called Stillwater Public Art. The ordinance creates a new chapter in city code establishing the Stillwater Public Art Committee, a public art fund and guidelines for displaying artwork on city property and public spaces.

Vice Mayor Amy Dzialowski made the motion to advance the ordinance to second reading. The council approved the motion 5-0.

New committee to administer public art program

The nine-member Stillwater Public Art Committee would include seven members appointed by the City Council, one city staff member and one city administration representative designated by the city manager.

The ordinance establishes the Stillwater Public Art Fund to receive donations from individuals, corporations, grants and other contributions, plus city allocations determined by the Council.

Eligible expenses include commissioning, purchasing and installing public artwork; administration and artist selection processes; maintenance, repair and insurance; communications and education; and contributions to private installations of public art.

For private installations, the city could contribute up to half the cost of artwork, not to exceed $30,000.

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Councilor Christie Hawkins expressed enthusiasm for formalizing the program.

"I would just say that I am thrilled that we are formalizing our public art program," Hawkins said. "I think the murals, the statues, the sculptures, everything around town is just fabulous, and I think it's important for a town and a community like Stillwater to have that type of public art."

Moore praised Communications Director Dawn Dodson, who presented the ordinance, for her work developing the art integration initiative over the past three years.

Program aims to catalog, expand public art

"Program goals include identifying and cataloging existing public art, increasing public awareness of Stillwater's art spaces and installations, designating future public spaces for art expansion, and establishing a formal process for the donation and acquisition of art and funding," according to a staff report.

Dodson highlighted an interactive public art map the city has developed, available at stillwaterok.gov/art.

"There's an interactive map on here, so if you click on there, then you can see the art piece, the artist, and more about that," Dodson said.

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Committee membership requires city ties

Council-appointed members would serve three-year terms and could be reappointed for up to three consecutive terms. Initial appointments would be staggered so no more than one-third of the committee expires in any given year.

Members must be Stillwater residents or demonstrate community ties through employment, property ownership or leadership in a Stillwater-based organization.

The committee would develop selection and maintenance guidelines for public art, review and recommend artwork acquisition or placement, and promote public art initiatives and education. The group would report annually to the City Council by March 1.

Decorated utility box with colorful artwork showing cowboy silhouette and Stillwater text stands in foreground with white Interlace sculpture and stone wall visible behind it at intersection. — A utility box wrapped with artwork by Josephine T. stands near the Interlace sculpture at Sixth Avenue and Western Road. The city has six utility boxes decorated with art as part of its Infrastructure Art Sponsorship Program, also known as the Utility Box Art Program. The artwork features western cowboy themes and Eskimo Joes. – Photo by Chris Peters

The ordinance also creates an Infrastructure Art Sponsorship Program, which the city may refer to as the "Utility Box Art Program," allowing visual enhancement of city-owned utility infrastructure through public art.

Sponsors would provide funds to cover installation, administration and maintenance costs. This program would not be eligible for public art fund dollars. All artwork displayed on utility infrastructure would require committee approval.

Current participation in the Stillwater Art Integration initiative includes representatives from local arts organizations, educational institutions, business and tourism partners, and multiple city departments, including the City Manager's Office, Parks and Community Resources, and Communications and Public Affairs.

"This diverse representation will continue under the SPA program, building on a strong foundation of collaboration, advocacy, and celebration of artists, public art, and quality-of-life initiatives," the staff report states.

Next steps

The ordinance requires a second reading before final adoption. City Attorney Kimberly Carnley noted the ordinance will not take effect until 30 days after publication, allowing time to finalize donation acceptance procedures and appropriation processes.

📺 Watch the presentation to City Council