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Arlington Heights trustees agree to pursue arts-in-public-places program, ask Arts Commission to draft plan
Summary
At the March 17 Village Board meeting, trustees expressed broad support for creating an Arts in Public Places program, asked the Arts Commission to study options and recommended discussion at a Committee of the Whole; current annual Art Commission funding is $2,000.
Trustee Dunnington urged the Village Board of Arlington Heights on March 17 to create a formal Arts in Public Places program, saying the village lacks coordinated public-art investments that other nearby communities maintain. "That something is public art. Arlington Heights doesn't have an art in public places program that many other communities like Elmhurst, Naperville, and Skokie have been supporting for many years," Trustee Dunnington said.
The proposal drew support from a majority of trustees, who recommended sending the idea to the Arts Commission for study and returning it to the board in a Committee of the Whole for further consideration. Trustees discussed three initial priorities raised by Dunnington: establish annual ongoing funding, consider a separate mural ordinance rather than treating murals as signs, and increase the Arts Commission membership to nine with some art professionals.
The matter matters to the village because the Art Commission's current program budget is $2,000 per year in both the 2024 and 2025 budgets, a level several trustees said is insufficient to start a citywide public-art program. Trustee Dunnington framed public art as a tool for placemaking and economic activity, noting it can include murals, decorated utility cabinets, bus-shelter art, temporary installations and themed events.
Board members said they favored a deliberate approach that starts with the Arts Commission. "I would be supportive of this," Trustee Baldino said, backing the idea of sending it first to the commission. Trustee Grassi said she "would definitely support meeting in a Committee of the Whole to talk about this," and suggested coordinating with other village commissions and the youth commission.
Village staff cautioned the board the coming months include new-board orientation, department reports, a retreat and the midyear budget review. "I mean, staff can certainly work on this. You know, the only thing I would caution is for the next couple of months with, new board orientations, we're gonna have our, the beginning of our, retreat process where we have department reports and the retreat and then the beginning of the mid year budget review," a staff member said, adding staff and the Arts Commission could prepare material for the board's Committee of the Whole.
Trustees mentioned possible pilot projects and past programs the village has run, including banners, sculptures previously sited around town and temporary placemaking events such as Ponies on Parade. Trustees suggested specific locations that could be considered for murals or installations, including public parking garages and transformer cabinets to distribute art throughout the village.
Next steps recorded at the meeting: staff said it would put the board's direction in writing and forward it to the Arts Commission; the commission is expected to study funding options, examples from nearby communities and draft recommendations for a Committee of the Whole discussion. No formal motion or binding vote was taken on creating a program at this meeting.
The discussion arose during the "communications" and "citizens to be heard" portions of the agenda and continued into new-business conversation; trustees estimated the item will require staff time and follow-up during the village's budget and committee calendar.
