Edmond’s Art-in-Public-Places
By: J. David Chapman/October 14, 2021
Last week, the Edmond Visual Arts Commission celebrated its 20th anniversary with a party at The Railyard. Fittingly, the commission invited artists from all over the world who have been commissioned over the years to construct more than 260 public art pieces in the city of Edmond. They also invited investors who have partnered with the city of Edmond to place art in the community. Additionally, the citizens of Edmond were invited as the third leg of this three-legged stool – if you will.
The EVAC was established in 2001. Its mission is to provide a means for selection, display and maintenance of art for the city of Edmond. The program is coordinated by Cinda Covell, art liaison for the city. While art in the city originally focused on bronze statues, recently many murals have been approved and painted in downtown Edmond. Utility and traffic boxes at intersections also have been approved to have wraps as art, transforming these boxes into public art. Developer Matthew Myers, Switchgrass Investments, has been instrumental as a member of the EVAC to bringing interactive art to the city. His vision includes the “I’m Grateful For” wall and the “Locks of Love” art piece, on which lovers and families are encouraged to place a lock. Another piece encourages citizens and visitors to write an “old fashioned” postcard and place it in the post office box nearby.
Edmond’s innovative Art-in-Public-Places program funds up to 50% of EVAC-approved public art pieces, not to exceed $30,000 per art piece. The Edmond City Council has funded at least $100,000, and sometimes up to $300,000 per year, to be used for the city’s funding portion. The reason the City Council has been so supportive and continued funding, and increasing funding, for this program is it works to generate economic development for the city.
Every city needs something they can “hang their hat on,” and Edmond’s differentiator is public art. It also has great schools, trees, and friendly people. The quality and quantity of public art has gained Edmond national notoriety with it being featured in several national and regional art magazines and tourist periodicals. Watch for Edmond to take its “art game” to the next level with an entire park dedicated to the display of public art. Take a trip to Edmond, Oklahoma, to see world-class art!
J. David Chapman is an associate professor of finance and real estate at the University of Central Oklahoma (jchapman7@uco.edu).