Rubric Us …
Reno’s Public Art Installation on 4th Street. All the black dots are pigeons.
So let’s get this straight: the City of Reno is shelling out $200,000 for a mural on California Avenue—by an out-of-town artist, with no design submitted, and somehow no one on City Council knew about it? Until it came before the council last week. But let’s remember public art brings tourism to Reno, or so we’re told.
Mayor Schieve is (rightfully) fuming over the opaque public art process run by the Arts and Culture Commission, especially since local artists seem to be an afterthought. Councilmember Duerr didn’t even know the mural was happening—and it’s in her own ward.
Schieve nailed it: “When a piece of art goes up, it’s every council member that has to wear it.” And apparently, they’re wearing blindfolds too.
To top it off, Schieve pointed out what everyone suspects: give a department a budget, and somehow, every dollar disappears, whether or not it's justified.
As for Councilmember Meghan Ebert? She chimed in with the usual vague shoutout to unnamed mural groups “needing paint and a wall,” because nothing says leadership like generic filler. If these groups have reached out to you name them. Tell us all how to contact them, we might have a wall and money for paint.
Our new Councilmember Ward 6 Brandi Anderson who is the liaison on the project chirped in that the rubric (scoring) could be changed so the '“art piece inspires X feeling.” So an example would be per Anderson’s suggestion, in regards to the art piece on 4th Street, “we want an art piece pigeons will inhabit.”
We ponder if Ebert and Anderson get together before each council meeting to decide what they can possibly say on the dais to make them relevant.
No design, no local input, no oversight—just $200K flying out the door. If this is how Reno does “public art,” you really have to wonder how they handle the rest of the budget.
The big question always remains, ‘Does public art bring tourism to Reno?”
Who knows? We don’t and neither does the city. What we do know is some art on 4th Street has gone the the birds.
Mayor Hillary Schieve has championed public art as a catalyst for tourism in Reno, citing national studies to support her stance. While the city's vibrant murals and sculptures add aesthetic value, the question remains: Do they truly draw visitors, or like the one on 4th street are they mostly enjoyed by the local pigeon population?
National studies indicate that public art can indeed attract tourists. For instance, cities like Boise, Memphis, and Sacramento have leveraged public art to revitalize neighborhoods and boost tourism. Boise's Freak Alley, an extensive outdoor gallery since 2002, offers rotating murals and inclusivity, attracting tourists. Similarly, Memphis supports art with numerous murals inspired by artist Julien de Casabianca and facilitated by city governance. Sacramento hosts the Wide Open Walls festival, boosting tourism and spurring other art events.
While national studies support the idea that public art can enhance tourism, the direct impact on Reno's visitor numbers remains to be seen.