Englewood staff propose art committee, update on murals and banners; funding questions remain

Staff proposed creating a South Broadway Project Art Committee to guide artist selection and installation for the South Broadway project, with representation from the Cultural Arts Commission, the EDDA, stakeholder groups and a community member with a disability.

Dina Miller, the project’s public‑art coordinator, said the committee would use place‑based criteria and that the EDDA staff would support outreach and selection. Portel said the DDA board retains final approval of TIF expenditures under the DDA state statute.

Commissioners received an update on a community mural project (the so‑called Maui mural) and were told community painting days with schools are planned; staff said second‑floor murals are installed except for one wall pending tribal input. Commissioners also discussed a recently completed banner project and noted that some poles lack banners because poles are privately owned.

Staff reported that an over‑street banner concept’s estimated cost rose from approximately 32,000 to 160,000 (as stated during the meeting) because of underground utilities; they proposed repurposing the funding for gateway elements instead. Commissioners asked staff to document banner locations, capture photos of missing banners and coordinate with the economic development manager about privately owned poles.

Portel and staff emphasized that any selected artworks will require maintenance funding, and they asked the commission to suggest selection criteria and community representatives for the art committee.