Page 91 - Plano, TX Heritage Preservation Plan

ARTS

Description
Locating art in public spaces creates a memorable and unique identity “In addition to
for each of those spaces, and allows community members and visitors to preserving historic areas,
identify a particular space based on its special attributes. Public art can also beautifying them would
be sponsored through a coordinated project with grant funding, such as the also be great for the City’s
Mural Project in the Downtown Plano Arts District. In this case, visual art was appeal.”
utilized to celebrate the city’s rich history. This project was jointly managed
by the Plano Arts Association (PAA) and Historic Downtown Plano Association - Online survey participant
(HDPA) and funded by a grant from the Plano Heritage Commission. Three
pieces placed throughout Downtown – the Echowave, Vickery Park Mural, and
Georgia’s Farmers Market Mural – reflect the city’s history and bring attention
to the heritage resources they are located on or near. This mural initiative
began with a call to the public to collect historic photographs and submit
them to the Genealogy Center at the Haggard Library. These photographs
would later be made available in a public exhibit at the Plano Art Association
Gallery. Involving the public in the initial stages of a project to celebrate the
city’s history contributes to the community’s excitement, not only about the Downtown Mural on side of Vickery Park
project, but about the past, as well as the anticipation of the resulting artwork.

Art in galleries and in other locations throughout the community can also be
commissioned and designed to highlight Plano’s heritage and bring attention
to Plano’s heritage resources. For instance, a new series of sculptures along
15th Street, from U.S. 75 to Plano’s historic downtown, leads visitors to places
where they can explore and learn about Plano’s history and heritage resources.
Another project, titled “Now Becomes Memories, Tomorrow Becomes Now,”
won a national award for the prestigious “Year in Review 2009” from the
Americans for the Arts organization. The project, which includes five pieces that
are each installed in one of Plano’s libraries, celebrates different aspects of the One of a series of sculptures placed along 15th
community’s history. One of the five pieces took inspiration from “The Douglass Street as vehicles enter Plano’s historic downtown
Community,” a poem written by Plano resident Alan Birkelbach, resulting in from U.S. 75
a combination of literary and visual arts. By featuring components of Plano’s
history and locating them in frequented public spaces, the installations can
contribute to an educational effort and to establishing a sense of local identity
as current residents connect with the community’s past.

Summary of Issues
A Public art that represents Plano’s heritage and its heritage resources is not
fully woven into the preservation efforts, especially those in downtown.

Arts Policy Statement Douglass Community Mural
Encourage the use of community art and design in ways that represent Plano’s
history and culture. Downtown Arts, Culture and
Events Plan
Recommendations To research the Downtown Arts,
A Support organizations, events, and initiatives that promote downtown Culture and Events Plan please visit
as an arts district and encourage the representation of Plano’s heritage. this link:
A Encourage public art that represents Plano’s heritage in parks, plazas, and http://www.plano.gov/
other civic spaces across the city.

november 2018 chapter 6: Issues and Recommendations 91