Arts Commission ranks bench designs and recommends seating-wall artist for Corn Palace Park

The Sunnyvale Arts Commission on June 18 reviewed conceptual designs for public art at the new Corn Palace Park and submitted ranked recommendations to send to the City Council. Commissioners ranked seven bench proposals (selecting three preferred designs) and recommended one artist for the park's 76-foot seating wall.

Commissioners voted to accept a ranking of bench proposals and to forward that recommendation to council; they also approved a recommendation for the seating wall design by motion. The seating-wall recommendation passed the commission 3-2; the benches ranking was adopted by the commission vote and will be forwarded to City Council for final approval, currently scheduled for July 29.

Kristen Dance, Sunnyvale's public art manager, described the Corn Palace Park project as a two-acre, city-owned neighborhood park on Toyin and Lily Avenues. She said the park budget includes $43,000 for public art and that a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) distributed in November 2024 drew 32 applications: 17…