The Arts Alliance of Forest Park unveiled Little Perspectives, its first public art installation, at Constitution Court in April. Though the piece was taken down for Memorial Day weekend, the group will create a follow-up installation at the same location next month.
With the village council unanimously approving the Arts Alliance’s use of public way at a June 9 meeting, the art will consist of five painted metal tables – each less than two feet in diameter – with two chairs, decorating the fountain space on Madison Street.
Next, the Arts Alliance will request proposals from artists. Selected artists will be given primed tables and paint to create the embellished furnishings this month.
The Arts Alliance said that local establishments can pay to have a painted table in front of their business, too, expanding the installation across town.
The cost to businesses is $350 per table, and they would provide their own chairs. They also must individually apply for a permit with the village to have seating on the sidewalk or a patio.
The Constitution Court installation is expected to cost $2,500 – including, per table, $63 for the table itself, a $250 artist fee and $50 for materials. The Arts Alliance expects to fund $1,000 of that, with the rest coming from a Forest Park Chamber of Commerce allocation. Both groups are also setting aside $500 for signage and potential overage for the cost of materials.
The Arts Alliance intends to create a map with the locations of all the painted tables. Once the tables at Constitution Court are removed at the end of September, businesses can keep theirs out front or choose to auction them off.
The Arts Alliance met with Sal Stella, director of the village’s public works department, to determine the best location for the five tables in Constitution Court. According to the Arts Alliance’s preliminary concept presented to the council, Stella said the two benches that currently exist in the space can be removed for the length of the art installation. He added that existing hardware can be retrofitted to secure the tables, and that the proposed layout allows sufficient room for pedestrians to pass by.
At the village council meeting June 9, Arts Alliance representatives said a volunteer would lock up the tables and chairs every night. They said they’d also monitor the area for excess garbage after Jessica Voogd, commissioner of public property, expressed concern.
“I know you don’t expect it to create more trash, but this is something that could create more trash,” Voogd said. Though there are six trash cans at Constitution Court, Voogd said “historically, people aren’t always using them.”
Forest Park’s public works department picks up trash at Constitution Court every Friday and Monday, but Voogd added, “On weekends, Madison gets hit pretty hard.”
Village Administrator Rachell Entler said the Forest Park Police Department usually lets the village know if trash overwhelms that area of Madison Street, especially on the weekends. At the most recent council meeting, village staff confirmed they would work with the Arts Alliance to monitor and clean up garbage during the duration that their installation is up.
There will be a ribbon cutting for the Arts Alliance’s newest public art installation at Constitution Court on July 12.