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Commission plans Cedar Street permanent public art call; grants to cover part of installation
Summary
The commission discussed a Cedar Street public art project supported by a $2,500 grant from the Bonner County Fund for Arts Enhancement and agreed to issue an RFP for permanent public art with a goal of larger total funding (approximately $15,000) and regional outreach to artists.
The Sandpoint Arts, Culture & Historic Preservation Commission discussed plans to place permanent public art on Cedar Street and to issue a request for proposals to solicit artists.
The commission reported it has a $2,500 grant from the Bonner County Fund for Arts Enhancement (the Gretchen Heller Grama memorial grant) to support the project. Commissioners said that amount alone will not cover fabrication and installation and discussed pursuing additional funding to reach a target project budget around $15,000 so the commission could pay an artist and cover installation costs.
Why it matters: commissioners said placing permanent work on Cedar Street would contribute to downtown placemaking and create a visible, lasting public art asset.
Discussion and outreach approach Members agreed the project should be advertised regionally to attract a wide range of proposals rather than limiting the pool to a very small local circle. The commission discussed three procurement approaches used in prior projects — direct commission, open RFP, or purchasing an existing work — and settled on issuing an RFP similar to prior utility‑box and public‑art solicitations.
Mediums and local talent Commissioners discussed preferred materials for the location and suggested specifying durable media in the RFP (bronze, stone, steel) and discouraging wood for outdoor permanent work. They also discussed encouraging local artists to apply while making the RFP regional to increase competition. The commission noted it already maintains an email list of artists who have applied to past projects and will use that list to circulate the RFP.
Funding and next steps The $2,500 grant will likely be used toward artist fees and installation assistance, but the commission expects to seek additional funding. Staff were directed to prepare a draft RFP, include material and installation requirements, and circulate it to the commission for review. Commissioners also asked staff to check whether additional funds remain in the referenced Gretchen Heller account.
Quotations from the meeting "This project can also be permanent public art. We have $2,500 from the Bonner County Fund for Arts Enhancement," a commissioner said when describing the grant source.
Forward look Staff will draft an RFP specifying durable materials and installation needs and will share it with commissioners. The commission anticipates regional outreach and expects to evaluate proposals once additional funding has been identified.
