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Bothell arts commission backs memory‑net scavenger hunt and asks staff to negotiate contract
Summary
Staff presented a summer "memory net" project with a September citywide scavenger hunt tied to Welcoming Week; the project's $4,600 budget includes $1,500 from DEI funds and staff asked the commission to cover the remaining $3,100 from its general fund. Commissioners supported staff moving forward to draft a contract absent objections.
The Bothell Arts Commission on April 16 heard a staff presentation about a community art project that would pair a summer "memory net" activity with a citywide scavenger hunt during Welcoming Week and agreed that staff should proceed to negotiate a contract with the artist.
Staff said the full project budget is $4,600 and that the city’s DEI coordinator has $1,500 available to contribute, leaving $3,100 requested from the commission’s general fund. The presentation described a summer program to gather hand‑cut paper objects and transform selected imagery into more than 200 community‑made clay keepsakes, which volunteers would hide in mapped downtown zones for participants to find and keep.
"Because of the city of Bothell's close ties with our educational institutions, we are happy to shift the Welcoming Week schedule to accommodate students," the staff presenter said, noting UW Bothell students are a target audience for the event. Staff also described partner roles: a local glazing facility that can fire the clay keepsakes, a permit and events coordinator working with UW Bothell, and possible business discounts to encourage participation.
Commissioners asked for clarifications about the hunt’s geographic scope, how zone maps would be shared with participants, whether existing student discounts would duplicate incentives, and what budget lines the commission would use. One commissioner observed that many UW students already receive retail discounts via their Husky card and questioned whether businesses would want to offer duplicate incentives; staff said zone maps and promotional materials are included in the project scope.
Staff told the commission that, unless members raised objections, they would proceed to work with the artist to finalize scope and contract terms and would report back if the budget began to climb. The commission did not take a formal recorded roll‑call vote on funding at the meeting; a majority of commissioners expressed support during the discussion.
Next steps: staff will draft a contract with the artist, refine zone maps and logistics, and update the commission if additional commission funding is needed or if the terms change.
