COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – At its monthly meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 15, the Public Art Commission unanimously recommended Public Art COS, the city’s first public art master plan, to City Council for adoption. Council is expected to review and vote on the proposed plan in November.
“We are grateful to the passionate community members who took time over the last two years to add critical perspective and valuable input to the creation of this inaugural plan that aims to guide the future of public art in Colorado Springs,” said Matt Mayberry, cultural services manager. “What we heard most clearly through this process is the desire for a sustained, permanent public art program, and I think the proposed master plan delivers a framework to help our community achieve exactly that.”
The planning process was recommended by PlanCOS, the city’s comprehensive plan, which was adopted in 2019. PlanCOS, which will guide Colorado Springs through 2040, includes a chapter on furthering the city’s “Renowned Culture.” One of the key strategies identified is the completion and implementation of a public art plan.
Central to Public Art COS is a mission to build a robust, impactful and more widely accessible public art program funded and staffed by the City while leveraging private-public partnerships, collaborating with City departments and engaging local talent.
The plan outlines strategies to begin boldly and sustain momentum; demonstrate a dedication to public art; encourage and incentivize placemaking by developers; place art throughout the city; promote and foster the local creative economy through public art; create a unified, Olympic-level public art collection; and maintain, preserve and cherish the public art collection.
For more information about the proposed public art master plan, visit ColoradoSprings.gov/PublicArtCOS.