In Wake of Mural Controversy, Elgin Hosts Sept. 21 Forum on Proposed ‘Public Art Plan’
The City of Elgin Cultural Arts Commission invites the public to attend its Public Art Plan Community Forum scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2016, in the East Conference Room of the Centre of Elgin, located at 100 Symphony Way.
The public will have an opportunity to participate in a discussion led by the Cultural Arts Commission and provide feedback and input to help develop a comprehensive Public Art Plan prior to its submission to City Council for consideration.
The commission is developing the public art plan after researching what other communities have done across the country. Its proposal document cites vision and goal statements from Eugene, OR, and Santa Rosa, CA.
The Public Art Plan proposal also includes comments from the city’s Human Relations Commission in the wake of community dialogue about a controversial outdoor mural, titled American Nocturne, that was displayed and later removed from a downtown Elgin location near a park. The mural is an artist’s reproduction of a famous 1930 photo that shows a crowd’s reaction to an Indiana lynching.
According to the Public Art Plan proposal, some of the “most enthusiastically responded to or repeated comments” were:
- Some members of the public felt deceived and wish that there had been a conversation about the mural at its inception.
- There is no frame of reference or even a plaque about the mural to give the history of the work.
- Concern that removing the mural promotes ignorance or shows that history is a burden rather than an opportunity to educate / have a conversation / prevent the past from repeating.
- Questions about the vetting process for the mural and how it came to be approved.
American Nocturne
The Human Relations Commission offered potential solutions and solicited opinion from 92 people, with the largest percentage favoring moving the mural to another permanent location but including an explanatory plaque. The vote, according to the Public Art Plan proposal document, broke down as follows:
- Return mural to original place with explanatory plaque —17 percent (16 votes)
- Find alternative permanent home for mural with explanatory plaque — 37 percent (34 votes)
- Do not display the mural at all — 35 percent (32 votes)
- Other — 11 percent (10 votes)
As part of an initiative to inventory current public art and to commission new public art, the Elgin Cultural Arts Commission first considered creating a Public Art Plan in April of this year. The creation of a Public Art Plan requires collaboration from the Cultural Arts Commission, city staff and the community.
The Sept. 21 forum is the first of two opportunities for the public to provide input. A second community forum has yet to be scheduled.
For more information, please contact Amanda Harris, staff liaison to the Cultural Arts Commission, at harris_a@cityofelgin.org or 847-931-6019.
The mission of the Elgin Cultural Arts Commission is to enhance the quality of life in the Elgin community by creating and supporting diverse, innovative, and accessible visual, performing, and cultural arts programming.
Proposed Goals of the City of Elgin’s Public Art Plan
(1) Provide a fully realized Public Art Plan to the City Council for approval. Plan goals would potentially include:
- Commissioning of new artwork each year, seeking the highest level of creative excellence
- Continual search for outside funding sources and grants
- Create policies regarding the solicita4on, implementation, and maintenance of public art
- Manage the current and expanding collec4on of artwork
- Stimulate public awareness of and conversa4ons about public art in general
- Establish partnerships with other city departments and local businesses
- Establish roles and responsibili4es for the implementa4on and continuation of the Public Art Plan.
(2) Provide guidance and recommendation on the Public Art Plan to the City Council.
SOURCE: city of Elgin news release, Public Art Plan proposal
About the City of Elgin, IL
Located 35 miles northwest of Chicago and home to more than 108,000 people, Elgin is an award-winning All American City and one of the fastest-growing communities in Kane County. “The City in the Suburbs” offers exceptional opportunities that include cultural arts, entertainment and recreation. For more information, visit the city’s website or connect on Facebook, Twitter (@ElginIL), Instagram, LinkeIn, YouTube and Pinterist.
