<p><em>By <a href="mailto:laura.herberg@interlochen.org">Laura Herberg</a></em></p> <p>Petoskey's Downtown Management Board voted in a meeting Tuesday night to seek funding for a public art consultant. The downtown manager says this consultant will incorporate community feedback into their effort to bring more public art to the well-known shopping district's streets, parks and buildings.</p> <p>It's a move that has long been discussed, but came up most recently after a local gallery owner submitted a proposal this past April. Marty Scott volunteered to front an effort. He said key to his proposal was input from community members and a focus on artwork by Northern Michigan artists.</p> <p>The board rejected Scott's proposal this week. But they did decide to push forward with a public art plan by hiring an outside expert. They plan to seek grant funds to pay for the consultant.</p> <p>The downtown director said the board has a history of pursuing projects in a professional manner and bringing in a consultant seemed like the best way to do that.</p> <p>Scott said in an email that he was disappointed that the Downtown Management Board rejected his proposal. </p> <p>"I am disappointed that the DMB members repeatedly expressed their concerns about open public input, with many of them stating that (1) they were worried the public would be disappointed if the proposals they made were not ultimately adopted and (2) they thought members of the public would become bored and disinterested after working for an extended time on a committee to develop a plan."</p>
More Public Art Focus For Petoskey's Downtown
