JEFFERSONVILLE — After just three weeks as Jeffersonville’s new public arts administrator, Dawn Spyker already has a full plan for new city art in the coming year.
Spyker presented the preliminary plan at the Jeffersonville City Council meeting Monday night, which included 16 projects separated into five categories.
“Sixteen is ambitious, but I think it’s definitely doable once I show you the direction I want to go,” Spyker told the council.
That direction involves partnering with several public and private entities — such as Greater Clark County Schools, City Pride, neighborhood associations and local businesses — on projects and funding.
The theme for the entire plan is “Momentum,” which many city officials say defines Jeffersonville’s public arts movement in the last couple of years.
“We decided to choose a theme for this year just to tie in the projects and use it kind of as an all-encompassing idea for everything,” Spyker said.
The five categories in the 2015 plan are streetscapes, art in the park, public engagement projects, neighborhoods and school connect.
Streetscapes involves round two of painted utility boxes, decorated cell phone reception boxes and unexpected art installations.
“What would you experience on a streetscape or how would you experience a streetscape, would be if you’re a pedestrian walking or if you’re jogging or if you’re cycling or in your automobile, it would be something that you would see right away,” Spyker said. “It would be things that are very colorful and you can’t help but notice them."
She said streetscape projects will be located in all six council districts.
One of the art in the park projects may be live performances of Shakespeare in the Parks. Spyker said that the Louisville organization has reached out to her with interest in bringing shows to Jeffersonville.
Public engagement projects would involve community input in some way, whether through a Jeffersonville Arts Alliance JAM session, when the public is creating the art, or through a public vote on artists’ ideas.
Neighborhood projects would be located near the downtown area in the Rose Hill and Claysburg neighborhoods. Spyker’s project called “Illuminate Claysburg” would involve solar-powered lit sculptures along 12th Street.
“Claysburg is an area that really needs some art and really needs some attention, and it could just be a beautiful place,” she said.
The last category has three projects that each involve elementary, middle and high school students.
“I love my kiddos, so I had to put something in there for them,” said Spyker, who has taught art in Greater Clark County Schools for the last 11 years.
Spyker did not present a cost estimate for the projects, but Councilman Nathan Samuel said the public arts commission is trying to get as much outside funding as possible.
“We have to put some money in to make sure we can get some stuff built and not always wait on a grant before you start,” Samuel said.
Spyker said she’s already started applying for four separate grants. Indiana Arts Commission grants may be available for projects with schools, and she also hopes to generate money through fundraisers and business partnerships,
“I want you to know that we really are actively searching out different sources of funding,” she said.
Samuel said that the city has $40,000 set aside for public arts projects, and funding for each project would be approved as a city claim.
“I’m really excited about this year because having a point person, an arts administrator, that can truly be the person on the ground to push things along between our [public arts commission] meeting is wonderful,” he said.
Council President Lisa Gill also said she’s excited about what’s to come.
“Thank you for taking the lead on all of this,” Gill said. “Your energy is contagious.”
Spyker said that a revamped website will be live by this weekend at jeffersonvilleart.com.