City cultural arts staff briefed the Parks and Environmental Sustainability Committee on Sept. 23 about an update to the city's Public Art Master Plan. Chris Webber, cultural arts supervisor, said the city's 2017 plan needs updating after population growth and demographic change; MIG was hired as the consultant and has completed research, site visits and outreach at events including Derby Days and the Downtown Art Walk.

Webber said MIG aims to deliver a draft plan by December 2025, invite public review in January 2026, present findings at a study session on Feb. 27 and finalize the plan by March 2026. Lorraine Hamilton, parks director, said a finance briefing on recommended updates to public art funding will accompany later updates; she clarified that the Public Art Master Plan itself does not require formal city-council adoption but that staff will present a draft and final report for review.

Staff said outreach will include a citywide questionnaire, additional focus groups, a public art master planning and creative-economy forum in November, and an internal effort to map public art (city-owned, county-owned, Sound Transit, King County Library and privately commissioned works) into a GIS layer. Webber said the plan will consider public art on private property and incentives that are already in local code for privately provided public art.

No formal action was taken; staff will report back at a Committee of the Whole meeting in November (staff noted PES does not meet on Nov. 27) and again in February when MIG presents the draft plan.