2026-08-04 - Public Art Commission

Summary

Full commission, eight members present. Minutes for May and June were approved unanimously, and the fall schedule was reset (Sept. 1, Nov. 3 and Dec. 1 on Zoom; annual retreat Oct. 2). All action items passed unanimously: Bree Stallings was approved as commissioned artist for the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center Mural; the updated design by Gabe Eng-Goetz and Taylor White was approved as the final design for the 6th-Cherry-Trade Parking Deck Mural (staff will ask whether they can wrap it around the 6th Street stairwell for extra cost); the top five community-voted Dandelion sites were approved (Crossnore memorial trail, Silas Creek Greenway, Salem Lake Memorial Garden, Parkland Park, Little Creek Park); and $50,000 of the Choice Neighborhood budget was allotted to a bus shelter project on MLK Jr. Drive. Staff reported that the Open Call 2025 artists (Kinfolx) rescinded their acceptance and will not do the Happy Hill project. The commission also discussed tabling at the Sept. 18 Arts Crush for its 10-year anniversary.

Summary written from the official minutes; no transcript yet. The source file is headed Agenda but contains motions and votes.

Issues discussed: MLK Jr. Drive Bus Shelter Project, Choice Neighborhoods Resident Artist Selection

Official Minutes

AGENDA
Public Art Commission
August 4, 2026, at 2:00 PM
3rd Floor Conference Room, Bryce Stuart Municipal Building
100 E First Street, Winston-Salem, NC

MEMBERS PRESENT: Rudy Shepherd, Toni Tronu, Sauda Mitchell, Chad Downard, Cliff
Dossel, Teresa Cervantes, Lois Roewade, Laura Minton
MEMBERS ABSENT: Stephanie Brown
STAFF PRESENT: Erica Palmiter

  I. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 2:06 PM.

  II.   Approval of Summary Minutes
           a. May 5, 2026
           b. June 2, 2026

        MOTION: Chad Downard made a motion to approve the May and June minutes.
        SECOND: Teresa Cervantes
        VOTE: All in favor

  III. PAC Admin Updates
       Members discussed a change to the fall meeting line-up due to scheduling conflicts
       for three members. Members agreed to meet at the following times through the Fall
       semester:
        -   September 1, 2026 at 9:00 AM (Zoom): Regular PAC Meeting
        -   October 2, 2026 from 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM (In Person, TBD): Annual Retreat
        -   November 3, 2026 at 9:00 AM (Zoom): Regular PAC Meeting
        -   December 1, 2026 at at 9:00 AM (Zoom): Regular PAC Meeting

  IV. ACTION ITEM: Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center Mural
      MOTION: Rudy Shepherd made a motion to approve Bree Stallings as the
      commissioned artist for the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center Mural.
      SECOND: Cliff Dossel
      VOTE: All in favor

  V.    ACTION ITEM: 6th-Cherry-Trade Parking Deck Design
        MOTION: Cliff Dossel made a motion to approve the updated design submitted by
        Gabe Eng-Goetz and Taylor White as the Final Design for the 6th-Cherry-Trade
        Parking Deck Mural.
     SECOND: Toni Tronu
     VOTE: All in favor.

     Ms. Palmiter will ask the artists if they can wrap the design to completion around
     the 6th Street stairwell for an additional cost.

VI. ACTION ITEM: Dandelion Site Approvals
    MOTION: Toni Troni made a motion to approve the top 5 Community Dandelion
    sites that were voted upon by the public. The sites include The Stuart & Emma
    Thomas Memorial Trail at Crossnore, Silas Creek Greenway, Salem Lake Memorial
    Garden, Parkland Park, and Little Creek Park.
SECOND: Teresa Cervantes
VOTE: All in favor

VII. ACTION ITEM: Choice Neighborhood Bus Shelters
     MOTION: Lois made a motion to allot $50,000 of the Choice Neighborhood budget
     to a Bus Shelter project on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
     SECOND: Chad Downard
     VOTE: All in favor

VIII. Project Updates
      Ms. Palmiter shared project updates.
         a. Rupert Bell Park Basketball Pavilion & Courts: In progress
         b. Brunson Elementary Sculpture: In progress
         c. Brown School Lofts: In progress
         d. Choice Neighborhoods (CNI) Resident Artist: Committee members are in the
             interview stage of selection.
         e. Open Call 2025: The selected artists (Kinfolx) have rescinded their
             acceptance and will not proceed with their Open Call project in Happy Hill.
         f. Choice Neighborhoods (CNI) Community-Led Call: Committee members will
             meet to review applications.
         g. MLK Jr. Bus Shelter Project: Committee members will meet to discuss the
             RFQ/RFP.
         h. 10-year anniversary: Members discussed tabling at the September 18, 2026
             Arts Crush. Details will be discussed in committee.

IX. Public Comment Period
    None.

X.   Adjourn
     The meeting was adjourned at 3:12 PM.
UPCOMING MEETING DATES

  September 1, 2026 at 2:00 PM
  3rd Floor Conference Room, Bryce Stuart Municipal Building

Transcript

Transcript pending: video captions can't be retrieved yet (see the Winston-Salem playbook).