Albany Arts Commission proposes naming City Hall gallery, seeks grants for ghost-mural light project

The Albany Arts Commission presented its annual report at the City Council work session on Oct. 20, proposing to name the first-floor City Hall gallery for local artist Gwen Marcheese and describing ongoing fundraising and public-art plans, including a light-projection “ghost mural” project.

The commission chair, Nolan Streitberger, told the council the commission had 56 artists exhibit in the City Hall gallery this year and sold about 30 works totaling $1,605, of which the commission kept roughly $235 to support First Fridays and gallery operations. Streitberger said the commission has no regular budget line and relies on fundraising for gallery programming and security costs.

The commission proposed naming the gallery after Gwen Marcheese, saying she taught at Linn–Benton Community College, coordinated regional art shows and later worked on the Albany carousel. The proposal would move toward a more identifiable gallery space to help artists document shows for resumes and to attract visitors.

Streitberger described several public-art initiatives. The commission is drafting guidelines for public art selection and for deaccessioning pieces from the city’s permanent collection; it said proceeds from deaccessioned works would be used to support First Fridays and future public art. The commission plans electrical-box “wraps” downtown, with staff already consulting utility companies about costs and approvals, and expects to seed the project with roughly $1,500 from current fundraising and prior grants.

A major proposal presented was a series of light-projection installations to “illuminate history.” The commission said it has been in talks with artist Craig Winslow, who uses light to recreate historic painted advertisements and neon signs on brick walls. The commission identified about five ghost-mural locations it would like to target and said the work would be nondestructive projection, requiring outside funding; the commission applied for a CTP grant but was not awarded funds this cycle.

The report also described completed and planned projects in parks: a sensory playground at Lehigh Park, an added little free library and plans to repaint playground “obstacle course” markings in spring. The commission funded new gallery pedestals, hanging rods and lighting to better display three-dimensional and evening exhibits.

Councilors asked questions and offered support. Councilor McLeod thanked the commission for choosing Marcheese; one councilor offered to work with the city recorder to determine whether a naming resolution is required and to bring it back at a future meeting. The commission said it would post a QR code and accept donations through the Albany Parks and Recreation Foundation and PayPal.

Next steps: the commission will continue fundraising and grant-seeking for the ghost-mural projections and other projects; staff will work with the city recorder on the formal naming process and return to council as needed.