All right, sorry about that. Um, it is after 4 and we have a quorum now, so we can begin. >> I call the February February 23rd, 2026 Arts and Culture Commission meeting to order. You then roll call, please. >> Jonathan Ruer,
Allison Coer, >> here. >> Carrie Rogers, >> present. Britta Triggstead, Brandon Batty, Paula Krogan >> here, >> and Chuck Hendrickson
>> here. >> Is there a motion to amend or approve the February 23rd, 2026 agenda? >> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> I.
Is there a motion to amend or approve the January 26, 2026 minutes? >> So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Are there any citizens to be heard on
the items not on the agenda? Does not appear so. And then uh next up is project discussion uh regarding future project planning. Um Ethan, can you please provide an overview? >> Yeah, so uh with the approved public art
funding of $12,500 for this year, the Art and Culture Commission has discussed an interest in utilizing a call for art, uh to solicit proposals for an art piece with a focus on interaction, uh youth engagement, and a location that's accessible uh for all
residents. So, city staff has drafted some parameters that will be included in a call for art, which will be brought to the commission at a future meeting. Um, and it includes envisioning an art piece that has interactive elements that invites public participation, promotes
creativity and youth engagement and entices people to gather and promotes an inclusive community. Um, further the call for art may identify a pro proposed location in a few different ways. um suggest or for example a movable art
piece to target all parks. Um identifying a central location to place the proposed interactive artwork. um for example like Viking Ship Park or the future um downtown plaza or allowing the artist to choose an adequate location that meets certain criteria um such as
the location being approved by the property owner uh the space remaining open to the public and the location meeting um the intent of the call for art and goals in our 2018 arts and culture framework plan and 2022 onward Morehead comprehensive plan. Um so staff
is looking for additional feedback on what exactly youth engagement might mean in the call for art and then additionally um feedback on the criteria and if there's any other suggested criteria to include within the draft call for art
recommendations. Well, the uh I was really excited when I was uh reading this. I I think the uh focus of of this particular project is uh or FOSAI since there are mult
multiple elements uh it's it's terrific I and um I'm just wondering with the uh approved budget of uh $12,500 in light of uh recent experience with
the uh indigenous sculpture costing two years and $20,000. Uh if it might make sense to narrow the the field of uh art being considered, like
would it be possible, do you think, to create something two-dimensional that's interactive, more like a a mural that folks can interact with? Uh obviously this couldn't be something that is uh
painted or uh wrapped directly on on a structure. It would need to be something uh portable uh depending on uh uh with I guess the location being movable to
target all parks or uh if it's something that is ultimately intended for the downtown plaza which uh is some ways out yet. Did any of that make sense? Felt like I was babbling a bit.
Yeah, I do think that the budget is going to be will be constricted quite a bit regarding what one can do, what they do. Um, I don't know. I think my my only uh
ideas or something, you know, I love the idea of a mural. That's wonderful, but maybe something that's musical as well. Um, I love the idea of like a like a flat panel and something that easily can be moved, but can we make it even more
interactive than just just seeing this something that can be hands-on or or you know like little pieces be created in each park and then eventually become one larger piece at
the plaza that then becomes a permanent piece. So, it's interactive. It involves all neighborhoods and all neighborhoods come together eventually and and can this be an ongoing project as well? I mean, we start out with just
a component where it's like maybe two or three in these separate parks that eventually do come together. All right, we'll move on to the next um project discussion, which is the street light banners. Um, so to celebrate the United States
250th anniversary, the city has approved $3,750 in funding within the 2026 budget uh for streetlight banners. Uh, previous discussions by the commission have relayed an interest in having either veterans create designs or issuing a
request for art to solicit designs. Um, staff has identified a local veteran that is interested in collaborating with us on a project like this. Um based on current estimates with the funding that we have, it's anticipated that 30 banners could be created. Um so being
there's room to solicit um many different designs, city staff could coordinate um with the veteran that is interested in collaborating and issue a request for art to solicit additional designs. Um so the veteran, for example, may be be able to create 10 designs and
then we could solicit another 20 from a request for art. Um and so um city staff is seeking guidance on how exactly um the commission would like to proceed with soliciting designs. And then um in your packet there is some um draft um or
consideration for criteria in a draft request for art. And so staff is um seeking feedback on those criteria and if there's any other suggested criteria. I just have a quick question. In the little mockup photos,
um, is that does that represent the 48 in tall by 20 in wide? Like I it's hard to visualize, but I mean they look so tiny, but maybe
that's really four feet tall. >> Yeah, it's hard to scale. Um these were just um I the dimensions I found were on specs that we have for the street light poles that were installed. Um and so I believe that the those pictures were
previous banners that we had done with these dimensions. So really basic question or uh yeah um is there a particular reason for the triangle? Is it because it's so windy so that you know more points are attached or
>> that I'm not entirely sure. I think it's just based on how the street light poles were designed because they attach to the top piece, but there's no pole on the bottom, so then a square wouldn't be as tangible. Um, so I think it's just based on the current street light pole design that we have.
thoughts on whether we'd want to have public submissions for this or divide it between the veteran and the public. It's I I like the idea of the community being involved a little bit. So I I love
that idea of having, you know, 10 to 15 from the veteran and then the rest from the community. I think would be a nice if there's a way that it can be so that they all kind of go together. I suppose that's that's the one thing
I'd be concerned about is if you know obviously the veterans ones will probably all coordinate, but >> you want them to be cohesive. >> Well, yeah. Will the public be cohesive with that? So maybe kind of narrowing down, you know, as far as like
colors or um you know, just like this, making them more simple or something like that so that they don't they're not all um too different. Are there any other um notes about this project?
No, >> I'll I'll just um add a note that um if the commission does want to proceed with a request for art, um it is proposed that the submissions would just be reviewed by the artist review team. Um and then to keep this project moving um so we just they'd be reviewed and
selected by the artist review team, which consists of a couple of the commission members. Um, so >> is that a decision we need to follow through with today or is that a future discussion? >> Um, to keep this project moving? I think
that's something that once if if you guys want to proceed with the request for art and the veterans, we'd want to make that decision today. Um, so that way we can have everything ready to go by this summer. Um, >> favor for that. I am as well.
Um, sorry I've been a little quiet, Ben. Um, but yeah, I like that uh idea of getting the public involved, too. I just people in Morehead want to help and especially on a big occasion like this or big milestone. Yeah. So, I'm sorry I didn't speak up earlier, but I think
that's a decent split and, you know, if you guys are for it. Yeah, we should probably take a motion on it, right? >> We certainly could. Yeah, just just to make sure it's, you know, it's concrete with the arts and culture commission and then assuming then we'll get the ball
rolling. But yeah, I think we should dig a motion on it. >> Is there a motion to approve? Um, >> so you want to make a motion that we take the 30 or whatever, you know, and divide, you know, do whatever 10 or 15
with the veteran and the remainder do a call for art. Is there a motion to um provide the the uh call for art between uh 10 to 15 for the veteran and 15 or so
for the public for a call for art? >> Second. >> All approve. Hi. >> Hi. >> Well, as far as uh cohesion of design too, that's something that could be put on the art review team to ensure that it
all looks good together in the end. Provide feedback. >> That would be a very good idea. Does anyone have any recommendations on what that would look like? I would think lots of red, white, and blue.
>> Yes. And I al also think bold shapes would be nice just because these banners are pretty tiny when you're driving down the road. So, anything that's too cluttered. >> Mine detail. >> Yes. >> With red, white, and blue, and then blue and white because those are more head
colors, too. So, >> blue and white with accents of red. There anything to add for this project? >> Does anyone have any reports or information to share? >> Take a vote on it. >> There's a motion. >> Oh, vote on the motion. Oh, sorry. I So,
I don't know. Are you referring to the motion uh that we proceed with splitting the >> Yeah. >> Um didn't did we take I think you took a vote on that already. >> Okay. >> Yep. >> Now, does anyone have any uh reports or
information to share? >> I've got just a couple things. Um Concordia Choir starts its tour next week and I I'm not sure where they're going. They're going to
all over the place looks like out east, but uh their home concert is March 15th and then the week after they're going to have a joint concert with the National Lutheran Choir that Saturday. And uh National Lutheran Choir is one of my all-time favorite choirs. So, it should
be a good good event. I think it starts at 3 and it's at Trinity Lutheran Church. So, I I wouldn't miss that. And I've already got my tickets. So, but I'm a choir nerd, so that's what happens. >> So, Theater Bee's show opened this past weekend and runs weekends through March
8th. Uh, on Thursday of this week, Concordia has a Black History Month recital uh in the evening, Thursday, February 26th at 7:30. Um, the faculty art exhibit at Concordia runs through
tomorrow. Um, and MSUM's art gallery has a student jured exhibition through March 5th. >> Anything else to share? >> Well, I would like to take a moment uh and note first that this is the last
meeting for Chair Triggad. Um, so I want to thank her for her service uh and her time on this commission. Um, so Someone else's turn. Is there a motion to adjurnn? So move. Second.