By Susan Palmer | [email protected]

At the South Jordan City Council Meeting on Jan. 21, a discussion was held by Haley Greene of the South Jordan Arts Council with the City Council regarding art council activities.

Greene presented five potential projects of community artwork for the input of the council. The proposed budget would cover most of these projects. 

Project 1: Pathway Art for the Jordan River Parkway. There are 3.5 miles of Jordan River pathway, and the plan is to create painted artwork on the pathway approximately every half mile. The goal is to bring the pathway to life with creative murals.

Project  2: Murals painted at 10600 Jordan Parkway on the walls of the underground tunnel under 10600 South highway. This plan is not to be confused with graffiti; the art will be professional and there will be artists chosen to create the panels. This will help to bring some vitalization and color to the walls of the tunnel. The art will rotate as it diminishes on its own or as new artists are chosen.

Project 3: A professional artist will be hired to create a unique and intriguing mural in SoJo to add vibrancy to a public area in SoJo. A possible place would be along the walkway leading from the Public Safety building to the SoJo Library. Other sites could also be considered.

Project 4: Crosswalk murals at town center. This would require the approval of business owners in the proximity of the art. Murals on the crosswalks have been shown to create fun but also improve safety by creating visibility. Other cities in Utah are using this kind of artwork with good success.

Project 5: Banners attached to lampposts in town center to promote art and beautify the surroundings. Banners are being used in other suburban areas throughout the country to inspire creativity.

This presentation was made to obtain direction and options from the City Council on these various projects. Some of the issues discussed were the types of paint that would be used. Acrylic paints are very durable, and in many cases, the artwork lasts for several years until it was painted over with new artwork. Vandalism and graffiti were also a concern, but other cities have had limited problems.

“Art in public spaces gives a city or neighborhood a unique identity and shows its sense of pride making it more of an attraction for economic endeavors,” Greene said. “It has been shown that public art to beautifying an area makes it more inviting for residents but also adds value to the surrounding areas.”