New task force deliberating public art processes in Naperville

A new Naperville task force has begun deliberating the best methods for creating, funding and administering a sustainable public art program.

Discourse over the future of public art in the city has been going on for more than a year among governmental and community art entities. At the center of those conversations is Century Walk Corp., which has sponsored 51 pieces of artwork over the last 25 years.

The nonprofit presented a long-range plan last month suggesting a more formal process for carrying out its mission and requesting an annual financial contribution through the city's Special Events and Cultural Amenities program.

But council members in a divided vote decided to hit the pause button, saying they'd prefer to engage other interested parties before moving forward.

Cue the creation of the public art task force, a panel comprising city officials and relevant stakeholders - including Century Walk leaders - assigned to develop a comprehensive process for selecting, overseeing, funding and maintaining artwork in Naperville.

The goal is to "think more long term ... about public art and how we want to enhance Naperville in that way," Councilwoman Theresa Sullivan said during the task force's introductory meeting Tuesday.

But that doesn't mean the city has to reinvent the wheel, Century Walk Chairman Brand Bobosky said, pointing to the success of his organization since its inception in 1996. Members of the task force agreed to review the nonprofit's long-range plan and potentially use it as a jumping off point in future discussions.

"Yours truly is looking forward to passing this on in some form or another either as a commission of the city (or) continuing as a private organization with city input," Bobosky said. "We don't have to rebuild it. We just need to, I think, tweak what we're doing now."

The task force is being led by Melvin Kim, who serves as chairman of the special events and arts commission. The advisory panel reviews applicants and makes a recommendation on which festivals, art programs and other initiatives should receive grant funding through the city's 1% food and beverage tax revenue each year.

The amount awarded to Century Walk has been inconsistent in recent years, nonprofit leaders said, making it difficult to plan and bring project ideas to fruition. Council members last month voiced support for committing more consistent funding each year toward the installation and maintenance of art.

The task force is likely to break into subcommittees to develop policies for funding, community engagement, and artist and project selection, among other topics.

Tuesday's meeting also included a presentation from Jennifer Evans, public art director for the city of Aurora, on how her community's program operates, giving Naperville members "a lot to think about," Kim said.

"I love the partnership aspect of what we're trying to build here and working together toward a common goal to really elevate Naperville," he said.