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Art and Culture Commission advances public-art projects; staff recommends moving forward with banner submission
Summary
At its May 18 meeting the Art and Culture Commission reviewed a draft call for an interactive public art piece, heard that the first episode of a historical video series was unveiled, received updates on sidewalk-stamp installations, and learned staff and the artist review team recommended moving forward with a resident’s streetlight-banner submission.
The Art and Culture Commission on May 18 reviewed progress on several public-art projects, including a draft call for an interactive art piece, the unveiling of a historical video series episode, recent sidewalk-stamp installations and a recommendation to proceed with a streetlight-banner submission.
Ethan, a city staff member, told commissioners the previously discussed draft call for art for an interactive piece is undergoing an internal city review "just to ensure alignment with city procedures and our public art guidelines." He said that after internal review the draft will go to the artist review team, composed of city staff and commission members, for final review and then be published according to the timeline included in the meeting packet.
On the historical video series, Ethan said city staff partnered with the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County and Moorhead Community Access Media to host an April 30 event at the new library, the Loop, to unveil the first episode. "The event was pretty successful," he said, and the video is available on Moorhead Community Access's channel and the society’s YouTube channel. Additional filming is anticipated this summer, he added.
Commissioners were briefed on sidewalk stamps selected through last year’s public-art request: ten stamps were manufactured by Sign Badger with attention to ADA compliance; six new stamps were recently installed along 11th Street North just north of 1st Avenue. Ethan said staff will continue coordinating with OP Construction as the 11th Street underpass project advances.
Regarding streetlight banners for the nation’s 250th anniversary, Ethan said funding is available and the commission had expressed interest in working with a veteran artist and in running a request for art. "Only one submission that met the criteria outlined in the request for art was received, and it was by resident Kim Joer," he said. The artist review team recommended the city move forward with selecting that submission. Veteran artist Mackenzie Sanders provided eight additional designs; staff plans to convert the nine total designs shown in the packet into banner artwork.
Ethan also noted YouthWorks invited the commission to its third annual youth leadership awards on Tuesday, June 16 at 5:30 p.m. at the Avalon Event Center and offered to share contact information for commissioners who wish to attend.
Procedural items at the start and end of the meeting included approval of the May 18 agenda and the March 16, 2026 meeting minutes; a motion to adjourn carried at the close of the session. No members of the public addressed the commission during the "citizens to be heard" portion.
Next steps: staff will complete the internal review of the interactive-art call for art and send the finalized draft to the artist review team; staff will continue coordinating sidewalk-stamp installations with OP Construction; and the city will work to convert the nine banner designs for the 250th-anniversary program following the artist review team's recommendation.
