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Public art project updates: Luby mural installation, Old Hickory and Bordeaux timelines; staffing moves underway at Metro Arts
Summary
Committee received updates on multiple projects: the Luby Community Center mural installation and title, Old Hickory fabrication and November installation target, Bordeaux Gateway excess-land work and participatory budgeting follow-up, Strobel House engineering steps, and Metro Arts hiring progress.
Metro Arts staff on April 17 briefed the Public Art Committee on several ongoing projects and on staffing searches that will affect the department's capacity in the coming months.
The committee heard that the Luby Community Center mural is nearing installation. Jesse (Metro Arts staff) said installers are prepping the wall and that the artist team — led by Alicia — finished painting panels; the mural uses a product called Polytab ("mural cloth") and staff said installation of the adhered panels should take about three weeks with a mid‑May target to finish installation. The project has an artist title: "They Fought With Words: leaders, lawyers, and educators." Anne Leslie was listed as responsible for collection acceptance and condition assessment.
Nut graf: Staff presented short updates across multiple neighborhood projects to keep the committee informed about timing, maintenance responsibility and community involvement as the projects move from design to fabrication and installation.
Old Hickory Community Center: Atilio (Metro Arts project lead) reported the project is ahead of schedule on fabrication, with installation discussions targeting November 2025 and the community center planning to open on January 26 (meeting record did not specify a year). Staff said they will return with details for a public dedication.
Bordeaux Gateway: Staff described early steps to draft an excess land application needed because the project site sits on TDOT property (a small triangular parcel). Once the excess‑land/permission steps are underway, Metro Arts plans a community engagement round and an RFQ for artists later this year, with panel review and final selection anticipated this year. Staff noted the Bordeaux item stemmed from earlier participatory budgeting; committee members asked about potential coordination with private riverfront developers for future projects, and staff said that could be explored separately.
Strobel House and collections: Staff reported nearing completion of engineering/stamped drawings and that final drawings will be presented to the committee for approval before installation moves forward.
Staffing and administration: Ashley (Metro Arts staff) reported progress on key vacancies. A finance position has a candidate with a conditional offer who may start as early as May. The public information manager position received 105 applicants; staff will screen candidates in the coming weeks. The public art manager recruitment will follow those two hires. Chair West and staff also outlined a plan for a permanent executive director search: Director Hall will attend the June commission meeting and the executive director search is expected to begin in July, with a target close in late fall; staff said the interim director will overlap with any new executive director to maintain continuity.
Ending: Staff asked committee members to share candidate suggestions for the executive director search and confirmed the next Public Art Committee meeting will be May 15 at the MSC meeting room.
