Downtown streetscapes are about to become a little more artistically appealing.
Artists were selected Wednesday for the first phase of the Downtown Investment Authority Urban Arts Project.
Among the almost $136,000 series of projects will be the creation of an interactive street sculpture and the transformation of dull Skyway columns, traffic signal cabinets and bike racks into more eye-appealing and functional assets of Downtown.
The artists for the six projects were selected by the Art in Public Places Committee of the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville, which is overseeing the program and partnering with the DIA.
By this time next year, people walking through Downtown near Hemming Park can expect to see:
• Two sets of decorated Skyway columns. One set from Hemming Park Station to Bay Street along Hogan Street will be done by Miami 2D and 3D artist Cecilia Lueza for $25,000. Another eight columns from Bay Street to Central Station will be done by muralist Andrew Reid of North Bay Village for $23,000.
• Seven traffic signal cabinets throughout the core will be decorated by artist Michelle Weinberg of Miami Beach for $9,000.
• Seven bike racks of varying sizes will be redone by sculptor Lance Vickery of Jacksonville Beach for $20,000.
• Two benches or street furnishings comprising at least two seats each will be constructed by University of North Florida art professor Jenny Hager of Jacksonville Beach for $7,000.
• An interactive sculpture will be crafted by Cuban-born artist Rafael Consuegra of Miami. The large outdoor sculpture will be near Monroe and Laura streets by Snyder Memorial Church. It’s the most expensive of the projects, budgeted at $51,562.
The panel in charge of selecting the winners received more than 100 applications from about 70 artists. The call was open to adult artists in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina. Of the 70 who applied, 65 were from Florida.
The winning artists will meet with the public in mid-July for input on their projects. It’s a way to incorporate public ideas and historical perspectives about each site and the city as a whole.
The event also provides the opportunity for the artists to meet one another and discuss how they can work together on the projects, which are in close proximity to each other.
“I am planning to do something that in some way unifies everyone,” said Consuegra. “I want to walk around the city, live the city.”
The 74-year-old artist has seen many cities and countries in his career, with stops and works in Spain, France and Switzerland. He said his influences often come from each city he spends time in as well as in fields such as anatomy, geography and botanics.
“Every time I go someplace, I find something that interests me,” he said. “I will find many things that will (in Jacksonville).”
After the artists have heard from the public and each other, they’ll begin their designs that must be approved by the Art in Public Places committee before work begins.
Their projects are slated to be completed by April, with an unveiling and dedications tentatively scheduled for next May.
And once those projects are done, it’ll be on to the next set.
The arts initiative is planned for three phases after the DIA in 2014 planned for the streetscape program to comprise more than $400,000 in visual Downtown improvements.
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