Public Art Consulting
Public Art Done Right the First Time
When I began as the Director of Public Art for the City of Aurora, IL in 2017, the annual public art project budget was $15,000. When I left in 2024, it was $1.5 million. In between: roughly 100 permanent and temporary murals — including wall murals, traffic cabinet murals, augmented reality murals, and street art — an international light festival, five major public sculptures, and a mural program that grew from a single temporary work to one of the most active in the region. All managed through the full complexity of municipal government — procurement, contracts, community politics, elected officials, and grant reporting.
I am fluent in the language of bureaucracy and the language of art. I know how to make those two worlds understand each other.
What I Bring
Deep municipal experience. I know how public art programs run from the inside — the politics, the procurement, the community process, and the long-term vision. That knowledge protects your investment and accelerates your timeline.
A curator’s eye. Artist selection is everything. I have relationships with local, regional, and international artists and the judgment to match the right artist to the right site, community, and budget.
Real project management. I have managed projects from $1,000 to $1 million. I know what can go wrong and how to keep it from happening.
Community fluency. The best public art reflects the people who live with it. I know how to run engagement that is genuine, not performative — and how to translate what communities say into artistic decisions that last.
Translation between worlds. Artists and city staff, developers and community members, grant committees and elected officials — I know how to help them hear each other.
Consulting Packages
Package 1: Discovery Session — $350 | 2 hours
Not sure where to start? This is for cities, developers, or organizations taking their first steps into public art — or reassessing an existing program. We’ll spend two focused hours mapping your goals, your site, your community, and your constraints. You’ll leave with clarity, a prioritized list of next steps, and an honest assessment of what’s possible.
Best for: First-time public art projects, early-stage development planning, program audits.
Package 2: Artist Selection & Curation — Starting at $3,500
Finding the right artist is the most important decision in any public art project. I manage the full selection process: defining criteria, building or vetting a call for artists, reviewing submissions, facilitating a selection panel, and guiding you to the right choice. Includes artist briefing and initial concept review.
Best for: Single mural or sculpture commissions, developer percent-for-art requirements, municipal projects.
Package 3: Project Management — Starting at $6,500
End-to-end management of a public art commission, from artist contract through installation. Includes scope and timeline development, budget management, artist liaison, site coordination, community communication, and final documentation.
Best for: Cities without dedicated public art staff, developers managing percent-for-art compliance, organizations commissioning their first major work.
Package 4: Program Strategy & Master Planning — Starting at $12,000
For cities and developers ready to think big. I’ll work with your team to develop a comprehensive public art strategy: vision and goals, site analysis, policy and ordinance review, artist pipeline development, community engagement planning, and a multi-year implementation roadmap. Deliverables include a written plan suitable for presentation to elected officials or boards.
Best for: Municipalities establishing or revitalizing a public art program, large-scale development projects, downtown revitalization initiatives.
Package 5: Event & Activation Consulting — Custom quote
Thinking about a public art festival, a light event, a temporary activation, or a community mural week? I can consult at any stage: concept development, artist and vendor curation, grant strategy, community engagement, logistics, or full production management.
Best for: Municipalities and developers looking to activate public space through events, cities building cultural tourism.
Hourly Consulting — $125/hour
For needs that don’t fit neatly into a package — grant proposal review, RFP writing, ordinance guidance, or strategic advice. Available in 2-hour minimums.
Every community is different. Every project has its own constraints, politics, and potential. If you’re not sure which package fits, start with a Discovery Session.
