Agenda - Council Work Session - 04/25/2023

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CC Work Session Meeting Date: 04/25/2023 Information Title: Considering Public Art Opportunities 2.3. Purpose/Background: This topic of Public Art is intended to gauge Council's interest in pursuing more opportunities for informed Public Art in, and for the community. There are three items for discussion during the work session, that staff seeks consensus direction on at this time: 1) Public Art Plan and Policy 2) Whimsical Sculptural Carving of Two Oaks at Sunfish Lake Park 3) Women Veterans Memorial Public Art Plan On the first item above, staff feels it may be useful for the city to have a Public Art Plan to guide decisions and priorities when it comes to matters of Public Art. Indeed, the community is operating in the realm of Public Art already examples include designing the architectural treatments on bridges and intersections with the Hwy 10 project, to elements with landscape and park and city building projects, to recreation programing like the Summer concert performances, Movie Night, annual photo contest or Art in the Park classes. The annual Art Fair at Elmcrest Park is another aspect of Public Art, and one that like Ramsey's other festival Happy Days, also includes demonstrable economic benefits to small businesses and the larger community. Why Public Art, why now? Some have observed that Ramsey may be a bit lacking in a sense of unique community identity. Public Art can build a sense of place and connect the community through shared experiences and aesthetic. Public Art can represent that a city has 'arrived' and is maturing, has history and is special and memorable beautiful perhaps. "Public Art matters because our communities gain cultural, social and economic value through Public Art." For two decades Public Art has been envisioned for Ramsey's downtown, and most notably as way -finding elements in terms of significant monuments, or sculptural elements across from City Hall at Municipal Plaza and also at The Waterfront. Significant investments like these should be well -thought-out, and reflect the community's values, while inspiring visitors and welcoming regulars. Achieving community buy -in and ownership on subjects like these can be best performed through a deliberate public engagement process in developing a Public Art Plan and Policy. The Ramsey Foundation's membership agrees, and they have pledged $8,000 to the city to fund a Public Art Plan, and if City Council accepts this offer, a terrific place to begin the public engagement would be at the sixth annual Art Fair this coming June 24th. Sculptural Carving of Two Oaks at Sunfish Lake Three years ago two prominent trees in the center of Sunfish Lake Park died at the same time. The Park and Recreation Commission has recommended to City Council that these trees be sculpted by a professional chainsaw artist into two large pieces of thematic art in the park as fun discovery subjects. That is to say, rather than incurring a cost to remove the trees, for a few thousand more, the trees can become a feature of Public Art that will surprise park and trail visitors the first time they see it, and returning patrons can enjoy the unique visual presence of the whimsical wooden sculptures. Women Veterans Memorial Early in 2022, City Council authorized the application to the MN Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund for a Women Veteran Memorial and was successful in receiving an award of $5,000 which was subsequently matched by a