You can’t put a price on quality of life.
Bentonville didn’t try. But it realized the importance and the role that the arts plays.
City leaders knew that arts and cultural life in the region are critical factors in location decision-making, and with that understanding Bentonville embraced the role with the creation of the Public Art Advisory Committee (PAAC).
Appointed by Bentonville Mayor Stephanie Orman, the committee’s primary role is to encourage and promote art. But under that directive comes a wealth of projects and activity.
The committee is made up of city employees and citizens with a diversity of backgrounds and artistic experience. It meets monthly, has established a mission statement and core principles, has created an application process and forms and has drafted an amendment to public art policy.
The committee implemented a Developer Art Kit to add art as an amenity to local business. There are dozens of privately funded projects in Bentonville while a public/private partnership has funded 22 projects as of June.
The PAAC envisions Bentonville with engaging public spaces of distinctive character where citizens will encounter public works of art celebrating the city, its entrepreneurial spirit and growing diversity.
The committee will develop and nurture a public art program that will build a legacy for future generations. Its core principles are enhancing the community’s visual environment; promoting awareness of the city’s social, cultural and historical composition; encouraging a spirit of collaboration and expanding public knowledge of visual arts.
Goals are to build a quality public arts collection, forge partnerships to nourish and support public art, integrate public art into public and private developments, use other public and private funds to leverage additional funding resources, involve citizens and volunteers in all aspects of the public art program, improve accessibility to Bentonville’s public art collection with interpretive and educational materials and improve awareness and celebrate public art in Bentonville.
PAAC priorities include enhancing the public’s experience with and appreciation for the arts, creating successful and engaging public spaces, elevating the quality of urban design and enhancing public infrastructure, strengthening neighborhoods and community pride and identity, commemorating Bentonville’s history, embracing and celebrating diversity and providing opportunities for education and learning.
The PAAC developed a four-year Bentonville Public Art Visioning Plan, begun in 2016, that is used as a road map to help city leadership and citizens understand the long-term value and direction of public art in Bentonville. The PAAC makes recommendations to the mayor and city council and encourages city staff, commissioners, boards and councils to use the plan to build a public art program.
The Public Art Envisioning Plan establishes a vision, identifies priorities by focusing resources and recommends necessary planning, funding and decision-making processes.
Specific areas of focus are idea development, location analysis, permissions and permits, financing and funding, artist selection, community engagement, fabrication and installation.
The city of Bentonville works closely with Visit Bentonville, its tourism bureau and private funding sources through the Walton Family Foundation to fund art projects.
The arts have emerged as a force in economic development for cities and serve an important role in the local economy. Research has shown that community quality of life ranks just below salary in relocation incentives.
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