Art Does the Trick

This traffic control box was one of four in the city to be covered with art in December. This box used to be covered with posters and advertisements, but I realized yesterday the artwork has stayed clean. Well, there was one small stick-on ad for naughty toys that has since been removed.

Read Plaintalker's post on public art here.

Read more about Union County's Art Outside the Box program here.

The first time I visited Seattle, I was amazed by all the public art. It is funded through a 1 percent for art allocation of capital improvement money. Here is the rationale:

The program specifies that 1% of eligible city capital improvement project funds be set aside for the commission, purchase and installation of artworks in a variety of settings. By providing opportunities for individuals to encounter art in parks, libraries, community centers, on roadways, bridges and other public venues, we simultaneously enrich citizens' daily lives and give voice to artists.

Read more about Seattle's Public Art here.

A former chairman of the Plainfield Cultural & Heritage Commission here proposed a plan to set aside $50,000, or about $1 per person in Plainfield for art. The commission ran into problems with appointments a few years ago and lacked members for a while. I believe it still gives grants, though the commission's 2015 budget amount was $27,500.