Apr. 4—Queen Creek is bringing its cultural and historical roots into its present and future master plan for the arts, envisioning downtown gathering spaces where people learn about the town's evolving story, can reflect on it or take a selfie by it.

It is called placemaking and it is the centerpiece of the town's Master Arts Plan.

"The Downtown Arts and Placemaking Advisory Committee was established to work with staff to explore ways to incorporate art into this key area of town early on to ensure opportunities are not missed," said Economic Development Director Doreen Cott.

"The Master Plan will help establish a clear vision and goals, as well as guidelines, policies and processes, which will be important as the town continues to grow and the downtown area sees new investment," she added.

Josh Lapp, owner of Designing Local, an Ohio based firm that was awarded the $35,000 contract to take the lead on the downtown arts plan, added:

"We are focused on creating vibrant and engaging places when we are talking about a placemaking plan, that's what our work is focused on is creating opportunities for people to engage with place."

Lapp's firm does this type of work around the country, including a project for Peoria. In a session with the town Economic Development Commission, he also extended the role of placemaking in taking selfies.

"What would be the thing that you would want to go take your picture by or that you want to go experience?" Lapp asked the panel as he presented the plan virtually and took input from members.

"Where have you traveled and seen things, and what are the things you went and took a picture in front of, or got that family photo?"

Placemaking can be accomplished with almost anything that starts a conversation, draws people together or creates art in a public space, Lapp said. That can be a mural, modern art, or other projects that promote urban vitality.

Think about the copper statues of children in downtown Mesa.

Queen Creek is facing a bit of a challenge that other, older more established municipalities are not. The downtown area is new and still developing.

There are no historical buildings to paint murals on, no shuttered factories or other buildings that the town can restore and capitalize on, like the now defunct American Crayon Co. which dates to the 1800's in Sandusky, Ohio. There, Lapp helped to create a public gathering space using multiple, giant colored, light-up crayon replicas.

"What we have to start thinking about in Queen Creek is getting creative," said Jennifer Lindley, Queen Creek's downtown development manager.

"Because we don't have the infrastructure or the buildings necessarily in the downtown area that we might create a mural on," she added.

"However, we have other items. Those are the things that we creatively need to look at," she said, pointing out Queen Creek's rich agricultural history and its long running relationship with water as examples of directions the project might utilize

"I think about our heritage and we want to make sure we incorporate agriculture and the animals in this area," said commissioner and Councilman Bryan McClure. "Like roadrunners and Gila monsters."

McClure also suggested the project could incorporate horse likenesses to symbolize Queen Creek's equestrian history. Developer Jason Barney agreed with McClure and also gave his thoughts on the project's evolution.

"One cool thing about Queen Creek is water is essential to the history," Barney said. "Canals, and water implements, and water tanks. Those kinds of icons. Even today, Queen Creek is innovating on water. It's both part of the history and part of the future in Queen Creek, so that would be cool."

"I personally like, and have heard a lot of good feedback about, the downtown Gilbert area," added Commissioner Perry Berry, also the Queen Creek Unified School District superintendent. "I like the water tower and the way they have kept the historical part of that town together with the new custom places and the restaurants that you can go to."

Lindley said Lapp will come to Queen Creek and tour Gilbert as the arts plan takes shape. He will also be gathering input from community members during public workshops, surveys, and good, old-fashioned conversations with residents to see what sort of art and other opportunities people might want downtown.

"We are just starting this project, so it's a good time to get your thoughts and ideas ... what you want to see in Queen Creek," Lapp said. "As part of this project, we'll really be exploring the wants and needs of the people in the community.

"What do they want to see in the downtown area? What will draw them to the downtown area? For us, it's typically not about just creating random public art or random placemaking elements that don't mean anything. It's figuring out how we can connect these elements and create that sense of place for your community itself," Lapp added.

"One thing I don't like is when I go to a city and I see stuff that's random and doesn't mean anything, doesn't tell a story, or even is kind of cheap looking," Barney said.

"It doesn't have to be an explicit type of 'bonk you on the head' storytelling, but certainly some kind of context and reference to the place that gives it some meaning is really important."

The Town Council formed a subcommittee two years ago to talk about arts and placemaking, specifically in the downtown area, according to Lindley.

Cott said that got the ball rolling on the Arts Master Plan.

"The Town Council recognized art as an opportunity to share the Town's history and culture with others," Cott said. "Arts and Placemaking helps to differentiate a place, making it memorable and unique.

"As a growing community, placemaking, arts, culture, and design can also be leveraged to promote economic development, and leads to increased innovation and civic engagement."

There are already a few small projects around town that have been approved by the committee and done by local artists, but there has not been a coordinated, concerted effort focused on downtown.