Over the past couple of years, there have been a number of public art crises in Milwaukee. This has included the city removing a TRUE Skool mural, the arts community coming forward to save the Janet Zweig project for Wisconsin Avenue, and County Executive Chris Abele recently pulling the funding for a Milwaukee County Public Art Committee percent for art sculpture.

Department of City Development staff presented the Downtown Plan Update at the September 15th 2010 Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee meeting. Similar to the City Plan Commission meeting staff presented the overall themes and the eight catalytic projects, which are geared towards increasing density and connectivity throughout downtown, whiles creating a sense of place.

Despite last ditch efforts by Alderman Dudzik to hold the project in committee, which would have effectively killed the project, Janet Zweig’s public art project was approved at today’s Common Council meeting with an overwhelming majority. How things can change in such a short time. As of the last Public Work Committee meeting it surely looked like this project was going to fall to Milwaukee’s “We’re not Chicago” syndrome. Meaning so often our leaders and our residents thinking the best we can do is hope to fill a few pot holes, and that anything beyond that is overreaching for Milwaukee.

The debate swirling around the Janet Zweig art project got me thinking about the value of public art to our city and how other cities embrace opportunities to enhance their public places. In Chicago the mix of architecture, and the hustle and bustle is in of itself valuable but public places like Millennium Park and the artwork that fills it add to the overall appeal of city life.

In case you missed it, at yesterday’s Public Works Committee meeting a previously contracted public art project was halted, because some of our Alderman didn’t find the art to their liking. The art in question would consist of five kiosks attached to light poles that would contain old fashion flip machines displaying uniquely Milwaukee scenes. Maybe some would prefer a serious of neon colored ashtrays or a bunch of automobile parts lining the pedestrian walkway. I don’t know, but that really isn’t the point.

This committee meeting had numerous items of significance relating to the built environment that were up for debate.  A couple highlights (or lowlights) included the holding of a file over budget concerns, a heated discussion over Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (“CMAQ”) grants, and a most intriguing debate on public art. The approval of the [...]