First Draft of Richmond's Public Art Master Plan Released

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People take a photo inside one of artist Josh Wiener's rings, part of Richmond's latest public art installment at the south entrance of the T. Tyler Potterfield Memorial Bridge. - SCOTT ELMQUIST
  • Scott Elmquist
  • People take a photo inside one of artist Josh Wiener's rings, part of Richmond's latest public art installment at the south entrance of the T. Tyler Potterfield Memorial Bridge.

Donald Trump may be cutting arts funding nationally, but there’s no sign that Richmond’s percent-for-art program is going away. To help the city spend the $2.8 million current balance, the public art commission has released the first draft of a public art master plan, titled “Revealing Richmond.”

Recommended locations for public art include: the lobby of city hall, Main Street Station, the pipeline walk under the railroad tracks, some I-95 exits and “projects along Monument Ave.”

The public art commission and the city’s public art coordinator, Ellyn Parker, hired consultants Gail Goldman and Gretchen Freeman to develop the plan. A series of public meetings were held and survey input was collected in 2015 and 2016.

The plan also recommends strengthening the percent-for-art program, the public art commission itself and Parker’s position, which it recommends titling “public art manager.”

Comments are open until April 18 and several meetings will be held:

• Saturday, April 1, 10:30 a.m. -12 p.m., Crossroads Arts Center

• Tuesday, April 4, 12 p.m. -1:30 p.m., The Depot @ VCU

• Tuesday, April 4, 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m., Hull Street Library

• Wednesday, April 5, 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m., North Ave Library

• Monday April, 10, 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m., Pine Camp Cultural Arts Center

• Wednesday April, 12, 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m., Gallery 5

Goldman and Freeman are from San Diego and Phoenix, respectively, and received $150,000 to develop the plan. They also created public art master plans for Calgary, Canada, and San Antonio, TX.