Guided by scientist and community leader feedback, local artists develop a project proposal informed by the theme of water and designed to serve community needs. Then, we pay them to do what they do best: create meaningful, enduring art.

Past works have included murals, painted signs, sculptures, street signs, poetry, birdhouses, screen prints, and fabric art. We would be excited to consider theatrical, immersive, or interactive artist proposals in the future in addition to all forms of art appropriate to a public context.

Upcoming work for Melvina Park proposes Augmented Reality elements incorporated into mural boards celebrating an intergenerational commitment to urban environmental stewardship.

Upcoming work for Lindsay Heights proposes integration with a water feature inspired by an Archimedes Screw.

Our process is a bit different and is not the right fit for every artist. We call for an artist who is willing to engage with community partners to learn, share their perspective with a scientist, and then develop their own proposal for iterative feedback by and through a Neighborhood Project Team—an ad-hoc committee that coalesces to guide what hyperlocal community partners would find valuable in what will become “their” public art project enduring for many years.

It’s an exciting process and takes time. We have supported one or two artist projects per year in the past. Future funding and partnerships will guide the pace for future artist projects.

Example projects on left include art mural boards by Gaby Riveros along the Kinnickinnic River, painted underpass columns by Melanie Ariens by UCC Acosta, and water wayfinding signs along E. Greenfield Avenue by Sarah Gail Luther.