Downers Grove’s Coffee With the Council Saturday will focus on the village’s plans for a public arts program.
The one-hour session will serve as a visioning and listening session led by Sculpture Milwaukee, a public art curation and installer the village has partnered with for the program.
The village plans to engage residents through workshops and other proven approaches used by communities with public art programs.
Coffee With the Council will be held from 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday at the Main Street Train Station.
Residents will have the opportunity to:
- Share what types of public art they would like to see
- Offer ideas and inspiration
- Help guide the look and feel of future installations
The first phase of the public art program will include four pieces art located at Linda Kunze Plaza and three flexible amenity areas.
Those locations are:
- The southeast corner of Burlington Avenue and Main Street
- The northeast corner of Curtis and Main Street
- Main Street in front of Wasabe Restaurant & Bar
Developing a public art program is part of the village’s long-range plan.
Sculpture Milwaukee will oversee the selection, coordination and installation of the first four sculptural artworks.
The firm will participate in up to two community visioning sessions and up to two stakeholder meetings to provide guidance on the art installations.
Sculpture Milwaukee will select the art installations, which will consist of newly commissioned sculptures and acquired existing sculptures.
Additionally, the firm will review and consider artists presented to them by the village for consideration. It also will present the final art installations to village staff for review and approval.
The firm will lead and participate in programming, marketing and communications as directed by the village to promote the art installations.
A project schedule calls for the installations to be completed by May 31, 2027.
Guidelines for the public art include:
- Is relative, unique to Downers Grove
- Is authentic and timeless
- Is vibrant, attractive
- Is welcoming and inclusive to all visitors
- Is suitable for viewing by all ages
- Creates placemaking and sense of belonging
- Reflects a balance between tradition and progress
- Is durable, resilient in design and composition
- Withstands extreme weather
- Looks great all year and requires little maintenance
- Fits on or in the art space within the flexible amenity areas
- Is of an appropriate scale for Its location
- Is non-controversial, avoids negative attention
- Allows for interaction with the public
- Is suitable/desirable for photos, posting on social media