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DDA approves gallery-wall MOA, mural and two sculptures for downtown art program
Summary
The Coldwater DDA approved a tri-party agreement to install a gallery wall with Coldwater Community Schools and KB Jewell Properties, selected one mural and two sculptures for 2025, and authorized the children's museum mural contract.
The Downtown Development Authority approved several steps to expand public art downtown at its April 23 meeting.
Gallery wall memorandum
The board approved a three‑party memorandum of agreement (DDA a25-01) among the DDA, Coldwater Community Schools (the high-school National Art Honor Society) and building owner KB Jewell Properties LLC. The agreement assigns responsibilities: the DDA will assist with installation and provide funding to offset materials and brackets; the building owner will cooperate and accept a reasonable amount of risk for artworks installed on the alley-facing façade; and Coldwater Community Schools will produce artworks in specified sizes as the program requires. The visitors bureau contributed to materials so the DDA reported “no net cost” from that funding source.
Mural and sculptures
An artist with community ties proposed a west-facing mural at 25 West Chicago Street. The DDA’s subcommittee recommended proceeding with that mural despite a budget shortfall of roughly $1,100 above the original mural budget; the artist offered a discounted rate and planned to travel from Texas to complete the work. The mural was the only submission to the RFP for murals.
The art subcommittee selected two sculptures for downtown placement: a more formal piece (proposed for the stamped brick area across from Tibbetts Plaza) and a family-friendly, interactive wooden sculpture (proposed near the library). The DDA intends to lease each sculpture on a one‑year basis at $1,000 per work; the DDA and city council will execute the requisite license and lease agreements for public-space placement.
Children’s museum mural contract
The board authorized agreement DDA a25-02 (resolution DDA 25-03) with Rhiannon Cymbalt Studios to paint a mural on the children's museum. The contract requires the artist to provide materials, equipment, liability insurance, two full‑color concepts and one round of revisions; it also includes a three‑installment payment schedule and reserves two weeks in August for installation. Staff noted the artist is certified to operate lifts and that staff will coordinate right-of-way permits and traffic management where needed.
Logistics and risk
Board members asked about vandalism risk and insurance. Staff responded that typical agreements address insurance and that comparable programs in other cities have experienced limited vandalism; the DDA will specify responsibilities in the lease and license agreements. The DDA also agreed to coordinate traffic and permitting logistics ahead of installation, and staff flagged that the city council license for sculptures requires a 30‑day council consideration period.
Why it matters
The program expands downtown public art and offers rotating, short-term sculpture leases to bring variety to the downtown year over year. The gallery-wall agreement also creates a pathway for student art to be displayed on private property with DDA support.
