Resident urges 'City of the Arts' slogan and more public murals in Old Orchard

Dave, a longtime Old Orchard resident who said he organizes neighborhood mural projects, told the Old Orchard Business District commission he hopes Webster Groves city council will adopt an official “City of the Arts” slogan and that the city encourage more public murals.

"We just completed, what we call the Peace Eagle," Dave said, describing a recent mural his independent group paid for and installed. He told commissioners that, in his view, Old Orchard has strong arts traditions but relatively few public murals — he cited only two existing works — and said wider owner buy‑in could make murals more common.

The commission and a council member asked how formal adoption would work. A council member noted banners with the slogan had been put up about six years ago by the arts commission without explicit council sanction; Dave said those banners were an arts commission initiative and that, at present, there are no city rules regulating murals. "Anything goes," he said, adding his group paid for the new mural and would welcome owner or city participation for future projects.

Commissioners discussed practical questions — whether building owners would want painted walls (some expressed concern about painting brick surfaces), how costs would be shared and whether the city should create design or code guidance. One committee member suggested the university could be a partner; another urged careful outreach to building owners before city involvement.

No formal action was taken; Dave’s request will be part of ongoing conversations between the commission and the city council liaison. The commission noted that formal adoption of a city slogan would require council consideration and that any mural policy would need review by staff and potentially by the arts commission.