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Board approves Coastal Park mural design; discusses Art in the Park, mural festival, signage and artist jurying
Summary
The Clearwater arts board approved a Gladiolus-themed mural for Coastal Park by voice vote with one recorded nay, discussed the Art in the Park and downtown mural festival, artist jurying for upcoming calls, a city-wide public-art database and signage/QR-code mapping for mural tours and the Pinellas Trail.
The Clearwater Arts & Cultural Affairs Board approved a mural design for Coastal Park and spent substantial time discussing the city's broader public-art programming — including the Art in the Park event, the ongoing mural festival, artist jurying, maintenance planning, and signage/QR mapping for trails and tours.
At the meeting, staff asked the board for final approval of the Coastal Park mural (choice between gladiolus and orange motifs). After discussion about prominence of the gladiolus motif and artistic style, a motion to approve the design was made, seconded and carried with one board member recorded as voting "nay." Amber Bryce, arts and cultural affairs manager, confirmed the artist selected for that mural is Carlos Ponds and said the work will be painted (not purely photographic reproduction).
Board members and staff used the discussion to review several ongoing items: two Art in the Park events scheduled in Coachman Park (one at 10:30 a.m., another at 4 p.m.), an Art Oasis Mural Festival in partnership with the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) featuring murals at locations including Fair Track Studios, Charlie Sushi and the MSP parking garage, and a call for artists that had drawn more than 200 applications. Staff said the call for artists will close April 19 and that board members will be asked to score entries; a jury deadline for internal scoring was set for May 17.
Amber Bryce described several administrative initiatives: a planned city-wide Clearwater arts database with images, artist information and QR-code links for plaques; a maintenance and cleaning schedule for existing public artwork; and expansion of panel art at the MSB parking garage and elevator doors along the Pinellas County Trail.
Board members discussed marketing and outreach options, including coordinating social-media pushes with Creative Pinellas, Corridor Arts Alliance and the Clearwater Arts Alliance; using QR-code plaques or a service such as Pixel Sticks to register murals on an interactive map; and placing consolidated trail signage or small, QR-enabled markers that would link to maps and walking or bicycling distances. One board member noted that sign code restrictions bar murals that effectively function as business advertising and that staff must screen for sign-code conflicts when placing murals.
Staff provided an installation update on Fire Station 46's sculpture, which has been delayed by material shortages and is now expected closer to June 2024 (moved from an earlier March target). Board members also explored potential partnerships and exchanges with other cities (including a possible loan of works from the Houston airport collection) and discussed logistical challenges for events that span multiple downtown sites.
The meeting included routine procedural actions (approval of minutes and adjournment) and several requests to staff for follow-up materials, including scoring links for the artist call. The board did not reverse the Coastal Park approval during the meeting; staff noted options for adding a plaque explaining the gladiolus significance if that helps integrate the motif more visibly into the composition.
