The Moscow Arts Commission plans to stimulate public conversation about art with its first Cultural Cafe today at Moscow City Hall.
“It’s a community conversation where everyone is invited to discuss the opportunity for public art in Moscow,” said Kathleen Burns, art director for Moscow. “We want to generate public thought and concern for where they want to see public art, what they think about public art and what they might want to see for public art.”
The cafe, held from 3 to 5 p.m., is designed to gather information for future public art and a large project already in the works.
Burns said Robert Horner, who has an extensive history with large public art displays, was hired to create the Wrens Welcome Garden. Horner will present his concept and work during the cafe, and discuss it from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday on Moscow’s public radio station.
Burns said the commission will use public input to create its master plan, but any subject concerning art is welcome for discussion. She said the first cafe will focus on public art, but future gatherings may explore theater, galleries or other areas of creative expression.
“We have a 1 percent ordinance for public art but no master plan, so we want input from the community,” Burns said.
Karen Bubb, Arts Commission director for Boise, will lead the discussion.
“We want to celebrate new work being created and engage the community in dialogue for what they want,” Bubb said. “We want to create a discussion and a vision for the future.”
Bubb said the cafe is based on guidelines used in Boise, where it is centered on discussion.
“We will start with discussion and I will show images of public art already in Moscow and take feedback to contribute for the future developments,” Bubb said.
Participants will sit at tables of three to five people each, with one designated scribe to record ideas that the Arts Commission will collect and use to shape its public art master plan. Burns said she hopes about 70 people attend.
“Our goal is to really create dialogue in the community so that the decisions made at the government level have the influence of the public,” Bubb said.
Katy Sword can be reached at [email protected]