Should Wichita projects include public art?

Wichita could get more colorful in the future — that’s the goal of art advocates around town.

“We have a lovely legacy of public art in Wichita, and we’d like to formalize it,” said Wichita Arts Museum director Patricia McDonnell.

She, along with other art advocates, will present an ordinance recommendation at Wichita City Council’s workshop today.

The group is pushing for more public art in the city.

The proposed ordinance, called the “percent-for-art ordinance,” sets aside one-percent of the city’s capital improvement project budget for public art projects.

“It’s to add design consideration, beauty to the buildings and projects we create here in Wichita,” McDonnell explained.

Wichita has a blossoming arts scene with several examples of public art: the Keeper of the Plains, large-scale murals, and 31 bronze statues lining Douglas Avenue.

McDonnell said public art creates a more attractive place to live and visit, along with economic development.

(Read more: Top Stories | KSNW)