City of Bellingham Arts Commission

The Bellingham Arts Commission convened with a reduced quorum of three members to hear presentations on two significant public art initiatives and make key decisions on ongoing projects. The meeting highlighted the intersection of indigenous cultural representation, downtown revitalization, and the practical challenges of managing the city's existing art collection. The evening's most compelling presentation came from Children of the Setting Sun Productions, showcasing their Coast Salish Interactive Living Mural — an ambitious 80-foot by 20-foot installation planned for the new indigenous cultural space at the former Mine Port Building. Artists Pre Borsi and Roy Alexander detailed not only the traditional painted mural depicting the historic Whatcom village site, but also innovative projection technology that would animate the artwork at night with phosphorescent salmon, soaring eagles, and traditional stories coming to life. The commission also reviewed the Downtown Bellingham Partnership's comprehensive art plan for the Commercial Street parking garage, a project born from years of ad-hoc art installations that lacked cohesion. The partnership's five-month collaborative process with 10 local artists, architects, and designers produced a framework for transforming the concrete structure into a vibrant gateway that reflects "our passion for our city." Two administrative matters rounded out the agenda: approving a percent-for-art approach for the new Wilburn park facility, and addressing the deteriorated state of a 20-year-old wooden sculpture at Big Rock Garden Park. The latter sparked discussion about proper protocols for deaccessioning artwork, with commissioners emphasizing the importance of artist notification and community partnership.

**Coast Salish Interactive Living Mural:** No formal vote required - presentation for community feedback and transparency. Project funded through downtown activation and beautification grant program to Children of the Setting Sun Productions. **Commercial Street Parking Garage Art Concept:** Commission voted to recommend approval to the mayor for adoption as internal guidance document. Motion passed with present commissioners approving the framework approach. **Wilburn Percent for Art Approach:** Commission approved moving forward with percent-for-art approach for the new park facility, with multiple potential locations for artwork ($70,000 budget). Motion by Jody Bento, seconded, passed unanimously. Commissioners removed requirement to incorporate historical horse barn elements, leaving artistic interpretation completely open. **Big Rock Garden Park Artwork Deaccessioning:** Commission directed staff to make enhanced effort to contact artist Lee before proceeding with removal of deteriorated wooden sculpture. Established 30-day timeline for artist outreach before returning to commission for final decision. No formal deaccessioning vote taken.

**Pre Borsi, on cultural authenticity:** "This territory doesn't practice Northern formline which you see, you know, it's like the ovoids, the trigones all stacked together. That's actually a Southeast Alaska, Northern British Columbia art style, called Northern formline." **Pre Borsi, on artistic philosophy:** "Our elders taught us that you look at the being, and it's perfect in its creation, and you do very little to change it, because you're humble, you're to be humble." **Lindsay Payne Johnston, on collaborative planning:** "We don't want to take away any creative control... it was about kind of just providing a framework for artists to work individually within particular scope." **Jody Bento, on artist relations:** "The last thing an arts commission or a city wants is to get a bad reputation with artists... it just hurts everybody, and it's usually just accidental sometimes, or it's not intentional." **Jody Bento, on artistic freedom:** "I'm rarely a fan of giving the artists the idea and the materials beforehand... it frames the art and the artist feels in order to get the job they have to fulfill that fantasy." **Roy Alexander, on traditional values:** "What really came to my mind was showing how not only the people, but the beings that lived on this land also just lived in reciprocity with Mother Earth."

# Real Briefings — Supplemental Content --- ## MODULE S1: STUDY GUIDE ### Meeting Overview The Bellingham Arts Commission met on May 6, 2025, with three of five commissioners present (Jody, Philip, and Eric). The commission reviewed two major public art projects and made decisions on several ongoing art initiatives, including Coast Salish murals, parking garage beautification, and artwork removal protocols. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Coast Salish Art:** Traditional art style specific to the Pacific Northwest region, characterized by abstract designs and minimal patterns, different from Northern Formline art styles. Used by Indigenous peoples of this territory for generations. **Percent for Art:** A city program that allocates a percentage of public construction project budgets for commissioning public artwork. Most of Bellingham's current collection predates this program, which began in 2015. **Deaccessioning:** The formal process of removing artwork from a public collection, requiring documentation, artist notification, and commission approval according to adopted city policies. **Downtown Activation Grant:** City funding program supporting projects that enliven and beautify downtown spaces, used to fund the Coast Salish mural and other community art initiatives. **RFQ (Request for Qualifications):** The first step in commissioning public art, where artists submit their credentials and experience to be considered for shortlisting before submitting specific project proposals. **Setting Sun Alley:** The branded name for an alley space that will feature coordinated public art installations, including both Coast Salish murals and Paper Whale projects. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Eric | Arts Commission Chair | | Jody Bento | Arts Commissioner | | Philip | Arts Commissioner | | Darby | Arts Commission Staff | | Taylor | Arts Commission Staff | | Carol Rofkar | Parks Department Staff | | Pre Borsi | Coast Salish artist, Children of the Setting Sun Productions | | Roy Alexander | Coast Salish artist, Nooksack Indian Tribe | | Natalie | Downtown Bellingham Partnership Community Engagement Manager | | Lindsay Payne Johnston | Downtown Bellingham Partnership Executive Director | ### Background Context This meeting highlighted the intersection of Indigenous cultural representation and public art in Bellingham. The Coast Salish mural project represents a significant step toward including authentic Indigenous perspectives in the city's public spaces, addressing the historical exclusion of Native voices from municipal art collections. The artists emphasized the importance of territorial appropriateness in art styles, noting that much "Pacific Northwest" art actually represents Northern Formline traditions from Alaska and Northern British Columbia, not the Coast Salish traditions native to the Bellingham area. The parking garage project reflects ongoing efforts to activate underutilized downtown spaces through art, while the Wilburn project demonstrates the complexities of siting public art in transitional neighborhoods. The artwork removal discussion at Big Rock Garden Park revealed gaps in the city's historical documentation practices and highlighted the need for better artist communication protocols. ### What Happened — The Short Version The commission heard presentations on two major art projects. Children of the Setting Sun Productions presented plans for an 80-foot Coast Salish mural that will include interactive elements for youth and nighttime projections bringing the artwork to life. The Downtown Bellingham Partnership shared a comprehensive plan for beautifying the Commercial Street parking garage with coordinated murals and potential greenery installations. The commission approved moving forward with the Wilburn Park art project, selecting potential locations for a $70,000 artwork while deciding not to require references to the site's historic horse barn. They also addressed the deteriorating wooden sculpture at Big Rock Garden Park, voting to make greater efforts to contact the artist before proceeding with removal, despite safety concerns about the rotting artwork. ### What to Watch Next • The combined RFQ for multiple percent-for-art projects coming to next month's meeting • Progress on contacting the artist of the deteriorating Big Rock sculpture within 30 days • Electrical repairs needed for the Sentinel sculpture downtown • Appointment of new commissioner Blake Hudson pending mayor's approval --- ## MODULE S2: FLASH CARDS **Q:** What is the Meeting ID for this Arts Commission meeting? **A:** BEL-ART-2025-05-06 **Q:** How many commissioners were present at this meeting? **A:** Three commissioners were present: Jody, Philip, and Eric, with Amy and Patricia absent. **Q:** What organization is creating the Coast Salish mural? **A:** Children of the Setting Sun Productions, with artists Pre Borsi and Roy Alexander. **Q:** What are the dimensions of the proposed Coast Salish mural? **A:** 80 feet long by 20 feet tall. **Q:** What makes Coast Salish art different from Northern Formline art? **A:** Coast Salish art is more abstract with minimal patterns and represents the art style native to this territory, while Northern Formline is from Southeast Alaska and Northern British Columbia. **Q:** What interactive feature will the mural include for youth? **A:** The bottom half will have expandable creek designs that youth can chalk over to learn about design elements and salmon traditions. **Q:** What technology will bring the mural to life at night? **A:** Projection technology that will animate spirits, salmon, eagles, and other elements, with camera tracking for interactive movement. **Q:** What is the estimated cost for muraling the parking garage columns and spiral ramp? **A:** $105,000 for 8,901 square feet, including design, materials, and labor. **Q:** What is the budget for the Wilburn Park art project? **A:** Around $70,000 for one or multiple pieces. **Q:** What was the commission's decision about the historic horse barn reference? **A:** They voted to eliminate requiring artists to reference the old building elements, leaving the approach more open-ended. **Q:** What is the condition of the artwork at Big Rock Garden Park? **A:** The wooden sculpture is showing major signs of rot and has collapsed pieces, creating potential safety hazards. **Q:** What was the commission's decision about removing the Big Rock artwork? **A:** They voted to make greater effort to contact the artist with a 30-day timeline before proceeding with removal. **Q:** What is Setting Sun Alley? **A:** The branded name for an alley space featuring coordinated public art from both Coast Salish artists and Paper Whale. **Q:** What electrical problem needs attention downtown? **A:** The Sentinel sculpture's lighting system has mostly burned out except for one bench light. **Q:** Who is Blake Hudson? **A:** A recommended new Arts Commissioner awaiting formal approval and appointment from the mayor's office. **Q:** What color palette was recommended for the parking garage project? **A:** Natural earth, sky, and nautical tones reflecting Bellingham, while discouraging neon primary or oversaturated colors. **Q:** What is an RFQ in the art commissioning process? **A:** Request for Qualifications - the first step where artists submit credentials before being shortlisted to submit specific proposals. **Q:** What meeting is scheduled for the Padden Creek project? **A:** A Thursday morning site visit with Alex and Wendy Share to understand previous work in the area. **Q:** What maintenance work is starting this week? **A:** Art conservator work on bronze pieces in town, beginning Thursday and Friday with the Go Fish sculpture. **Q:** When is the next commission meeting? **A:** Next month, when they plan to review the combined RFQ and potentially welcome new commissioner Blake Hudson. --- ## MODULE S3: QUIZ WITH ANSWER KEY **Question 1: How many commissioners were present at this May 6, 2025 Arts Commission meeting?** - A) Five commissioners (full attendance) - B) Four commissioners - C) Three commissioners - D) Two commissioners **Question 2: What is the budget for the Wilburn Park percent-for-art project?** - A) $105,000 - B) Around $70,000 - C) $18,000 - D) $150,000 **Question 3: Which organization is creating the Coast Salish interactive living mural?** - A) Paper Whale Productions - B) Downtown Bellingham Partnership - C) Children of the Setting Sun Productions - D) Whatcom County Parks **Question 4: What makes Coast Salish art distinct from Northern Formline art?** - A) Coast Salish uses more complex patterns - B) Coast Salish is more abstract with minimal patterns and is native to this territory - C) Coast Salish only uses primary colors - D) Coast Salish is only done on canvas **Question 5: What interactive nighttime feature will the Coast Salish mural include?** - A) Sound effects only - B) Projection technology with animated spirits and camera tracking - C) Colored lighting only - D) Moving mechanical parts **Question 6: What was the commission's decision about the deteriorating artwork at Big Rock Garden Park?** - A) Remove it immediately for safety - B) Leave it in place permanently - C) Make greater effort to contact the artist within 30 days before removal - D) Move it to a different location **Question 7: What is the estimated cost for muraling the parking garage spiral ramp and columns?** - A) $18,000 - B) $70,000 - C) $105,000 - D) $150,000 **Question 8: What decision did commissioners make about referencing the historic horse barn at Wilburn?** - A) Required all artists to include barn references - B) Eliminated the requirement, leaving the approach more open-ended - C) Required only one reference to the barn - D) Postponed the decision until next meeting **Question 9: Who is Blake Hudson?** - A) A new Parks Department staff member - B) A recommended new Arts Commissioner awaiting mayor's approval - C) The artist creating the Coast Salish mural - D) The Downtown Partnership director **Question 10: What electrical maintenance issue needs attention downtown?** - A) Street lights on Commercial Street - B) The Sentinel sculpture's lighting system has mostly burned out - C) Traffic signals near the parking garage - D) Outdoor speakers in the plaza **Answer Key:** **1. C — Three commissioners were present: Jody, Philip, and Eric, with Amy and Patricia absent.** **2. B — Taylor stated the percent budget is "around 70,000 for the artist" for the Wilburn project.** **3. C — Pre Borsi introduced himself as working at Children of the Setting Sun Productions for 4 years.** **4. B — Pre Borsi explained that Coast Salish art is more abstract with minimal patterns and represents the native art style for this territory, unlike Northern Formline from Alaska/Northern BC.** **5. B — Roy Alexander described projection technology that will animate spirits at night with camera tracking for interactive movement.** **6. C — Jody moved to make greater effort to contact the artist with a 30-day timeline before proceeding with removal.** **7. C — The presentation showed $105,000 for 8,901 square feet including design, materials and labor.** **8. B — Jody moved to eliminate the building cornice/topper reference, leaving the approach more open to artists.** **9. B — Taylor reported Blake Hudson is recommended for Arts Commission appointment awaiting formal approval from the mayor's office.** **10. B — Taylor mentioned the Sentinel's electrical system has issues with all lights burned out except one bench.** --- ## MODULE S4: Q&A — COMMON QUESTIONS **Q: Why is the Coast Salish mural significant for Bellingham?** A: This represents a major step toward including authentic Indigenous perspectives in the city's public art collection. The artists emphasized that much "Pacific Northwest" art actually represents Northern Formline traditions from Alaska, not the Coast Salish art native to the Bellingham area. It's notable that this is happening in a space that will be branded as Setting Sun Alley, centering Indigenous culture in downtown. **Q: How will the interactive elements of the Coast Salish mural work?** A: The bottom portion will extend creek designs that youth can chalk over using a protective clear coat system. At night, projection technology will animate the artwork with spirits, salmon swimming, eagles soaring, and other elements. Camera tracking will allow the projections to respond to people walking by, making the water ripple around them. **Q: Why is the commission concerned about removing artwork without contacting artists first?** A: Commissioner Jody Bento emphasized that this creates a bad reputation with artists and damages the partnership relationship between the city and the arts community. She noted that artwork often appears on artists' websites and resumes, so removal without notification can be professionally damaging and disrespectful. **Q: What's the timeline for the parking garage beautification project?** A: This is currently a guidance document that will inform future competitive RFP processes. The Downtown Bellingham Partnership spent five months with a 10-person team developing the framework, but actual implementation will depend on future funding and artist selection through formal calls for art. **Q: How does Bellingham's percent-for-art program work?** A: The program began in 2015, allocating a percentage of public construction budgets for commissioning art. However, most of the city's current collection consists of donated pieces from before 2015, which is why many lack proper documentation and contracts. **Q: What happens next with the Wilburn Park art project?** A: It will be included in a combined RFQ (Request for Qualifications) coming to next month's meeting. Artists will submit their credentials first, then shortlisted candidates will be asked for specific proposals for the $70,000 project. **Q: Why did the commission decide against requiring horse barn references at Wilburn?** A: Commissioners felt this would overly constrain artists and potentially make them feel required to include historical elements to win the commission. They preferred following the parking garage team's approach of providing a framework while maintaining artist creative control. **Q: What's the status of the deteriorating Big Rock Garden Park sculpture?** A: The wooden artwork has been rotting for over 20 years and shows major structural damage. While there are safety concerns, especially with Mother's Day weekend approaching, the commission voted to spend 30 days making greater effort to contact the artist before proceeding with removal. **Q: How many people are currently on the Arts Commission?** A: Currently three active commissioners (Jody, Philip, Eric) out of five total positions. Blake Hudson has been recommended for appointment but is awaiting formal approval from the mayor's office. One additional vacancy remains to be filled. **Q: What other maintenance issues need attention in the city's art collection?** A: The Sentinel sculpture downtown has electrical problems with most lights burned out. An art conservator is beginning work this week on bronze pieces starting with Go Fish, representing progress on the maintenance backlog identified in recent condition reports.

## MODULE S1: STUDY GUIDE **Meeting ID:** BEL-ART-2025-05-06 ### Meeting Overview The Bellingham Arts Commission met on May 6, 2025, with three of five commissioners present (Jody, Philip, and Eric). The commission reviewed two major public art projects and made decisions on several ongoing art initiatives, including Coast Salish murals, parking garage beautification, and artwork removal protocols. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Coast Salish Art:** Traditional art style specific to the Pacific Northwest region, characterized by abstract designs and minimal patterns, different from Northern Formline art styles. Used by Indigenous peoples of this territory for generations. **Percent for Art:** A city program that allocates a percentage of public construction project budgets for commissioning public artwork. Most of Bellingham's current collection predates this program, which began in 2015. **Deaccessioning:** The formal process of removing artwork from a public collection, requiring documentation, artist notification, and commission approval according to adopted city policies. **Downtown Activation Grant:** City funding program supporting projects that enliven and beautify downtown spaces, used to fund the Coast Salish mural and other community art initiatives. **RFQ (Request for Qualifications):** The first step in commissioning public art, where artists submit their credentials and experience to be considered for shortlisting before submitting specific project proposals. **Setting Sun Alley:** The branded name for an alley space that will feature coordinated public art installations, including both Coast Salish murals and Paper Whale projects. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Eric | Arts Commission Chair | | Jody Bento | Arts Commissioner | | Philip | Arts Commissioner | | Darby | Arts Commission Staff | | Taylor | Arts Commission Staff | | Carol Rofkar | Parks Department Staff | | Pre Borsi | Coast Salish artist, Children of the Setting Sun Productions | | Roy Alexander | Coast Salish artist, Nooksack Indian Tribe | | Natalie | Downtown Bellingham Partnership Community Engagement Manager | | Lindsay Payne Johnston | Downtown Bellingham Partnership Executive Director | ### Background Context This meeting highlighted the intersection of Indigenous cultural representation and public art in Bellingham. The Coast Salish mural project represents a significant step toward including authentic Indigenous perspectives in the city's public spaces, addressing the historical exclusion of Native voices from municipal art collections. The artists emphasized the importance of territorial appropriateness in art styles, noting that much "Pacific Northwest" art actually represents Northern Formline traditions from Alaska and Northern British Columbia, not the Coast Salish traditions native to the Bellingham area. The parking garage project reflects ongoing efforts to activate underutilized downtown spaces through art, while the Wilburn project demonstrates the complexities of siting public art in transitional neighborhoods. The artwork removal discussion at Big Rock Garden Park revealed gaps in the city's historical documentation practices and highlighted the need for better artist communication protocols. ### What Happened — The Short Version The commission heard presentations on two major art projects. Children of the Setting Sun Productions presented plans for an 80-foot Coast Salish mural that will include interactive elements for youth and nighttime projections bringing the artwork to life. The Downtown Bellingham Partnership shared a comprehensive plan for beautifying the Commercial Street parking garage with coordinated murals and potential greenery installations. The commission approved moving forward with the Wilburn Park art project, selecting potential locations for a $70,000 artwork while deciding not to require references to the site's historic horse barn. They also addressed the deteriorating wooden sculpture at Big Rock Garden Park, voting to make greater efforts to contact the artist before proceeding with removal, despite safety concerns about the rotting artwork. ### What to Watch Next • The combined RFQ for multiple percent-for-art projects coming to next month's meeting • Progress on contacting the artist of the deteriorating Big Rock sculpture within 30 days • Electrical repairs needed for the Sentinel sculpture downtown • Appointment of new commissioner Blake Hudson pending mayor's approval ---

## MODULE S2: FLASH CARDS **Meeting ID:** BEL-ART-2025-05-06 **Q:** What is the Meeting ID for this Arts Commission meeting? **A:** BEL-ART-2025-05-06 **Q:** How many commissioners were present at this meeting? **A:** Three commissioners were present: Jody, Philip, and Eric, with Amy and Patricia absent. **Q:** What organization is creating the Coast Salish mural? **A:** Children of the Setting Sun Productions, with artists Pre Borsi and Roy Alexander. **Q:** What are the dimensions of the proposed Coast Salish mural? **A:** 80 feet long by 20 feet tall. **Q:** What makes Coast Salish art different from Northern Formline art? **A:** Coast Salish art is more abstract with minimal patterns and represents the art style native to this territory, while Northern Formline is from Southeast Alaska and Northern British Columbia. **Q:** What interactive feature will the mural include for youth? **A:** The bottom half will have expandable creek designs that youth can chalk over to learn about design elements and salmon traditions. **Q:** What technology will bring the mural to life at night? **A:** Projection technology that will animate spirits, salmon, eagles, and other elements, with camera tracking for interactive movement. **Q:** What is the estimated cost for muraling the parking garage columns and spiral ramp? **A:** $105,000 for 8,901 square feet, including design, materials, and labor. **Q:** What is the budget for the Wilburn Park art project? **A:** Around $70,000 for one or multiple pieces. **Q:** What was the commission's decision about the historic horse barn reference? **A:** They voted to eliminate requiring artists to reference the old building elements, leaving the approach more open-ended. **Q:** What is the condition of the artwork at Big Rock Garden Park? **A:** The wooden sculpture is showing major signs of rot and has collapsed pieces, creating potential safety hazards. **Q:** What was the commission's decision about removing the Big Rock artwork? **A:** They voted to make greater effort to contact the artist with a 30-day timeline before proceeding with removal. **Q:** What is Setting Sun Alley? **A:** The branded name for an alley space featuring coordinated public art from both Coast Salish artists and Paper Whale. **Q:** What electrical problem needs attention downtown? **A:** The Sentinel sculpture's lighting system has mostly burned out except for one bench light. **Q:** Who is Blake Hudson? **A:** A recommended new Arts Commissioner awaiting formal approval and appointment from the mayor's office. **Q:** What color palette was recommended for the parking garage project? **A:** Natural earth, sky, and nautical tones reflecting Bellingham, while discouraging neon primary or oversaturated colors. **Q:** What is an RFQ in the art commissioning process? **A:** Request for Qualifications - the first step where artists submit credentials before being shortlisted to submit specific proposals. **Q:** What meeting is scheduled for the Padden Creek project? **A:** A Thursday morning site visit with Alex and Wendy Share to understand previous work in the area. **Q:** What maintenance work is starting this week? **A:** Art conservator work on bronze pieces in town, beginning Thursday and Friday with the Go Fish sculpture. **Q:** When is the next commission meeting? **A:** Next month, when they plan to review the combined RFQ and potentially welcome new commissioner Blake Hudson. ---