Bangor Cultural Commission approves murals, debates new meeting schedule

The Commission on Cultural Development approved two public art projects, including a completed mural for the farmers market and a new pollinator-themed mural for Fruit Street School. Members discussed the difficulty of finding a meeting time that works for all commissioners, considering alternating Wednesday evening and Friday morning sessions. The group also reviewed the budget, noting a significant gap between requested and available funds, and discussed plans for the upcoming Arts Award celebration.

Key points

• The commission voted to recommend two public art projects to the City Council: a completed mural on a temporary structure at the farmers market and a new mural for the Fruit Street School gymnasium.
• Members debated the current Friday morning meeting time, which conflicts with work schedules for several commissioners, and considered alternating with Wednesday evening meetings.
• The chair reported that the City Council is voting on the budget on June 22, with a current gap of $13,000 between the $33,000 requested and the $20,000 available for cultural grants.
• The October Arts Award committee reported on plans to host the annual celebration at the Stage Door and discussed potential juror guidelines to ensure a diverse selection of winners.
• Members discussed the upcoming First Friday Art Walk and other local events, including a poster show opening in New York Harbor that will later travel to Bangor.

Next steps

• The chair will send an email to all commissioners to gather input on the proposed alternating meeting schedule for Wednesday evenings and Friday mornings.
• The commission will wait until the City Council votes on the budget in late June to determine next steps for strategic planning and grant funding.
• The October committee will continue planning the Arts Award celebration and may set guidelines for jurors to avoid selecting the same winners consecutively.
• The commission will review the design for downtown flags, potentially using TIF funds to replace faded graphics by mid-August.

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