The Arts Council of White Lake-Nuveen Center has begun the process of gathering community feedback for a mural that will be painted on the walls of the new pocket park in downtown Whitehall next summer.
The ACWL-Nuveen hosted two community engagement sessions in September to ask local residents what they’d want to see represented on a mural depicting the White Lake area. One was at the Montague/Whitehall football game Sept. 20, and another was at the White Lake Community Library Sept. 27. A public feedback form was also available at Whitehall City Hall Sept. 27.
There is also an online questionnaire residents can fill out to give their input, said ACWL-Nuveen director Erin Peyer. The questionnaire is available at https://form.jotform.com/24261....
Peyer emphasized that although the subject of the survey is a mural, one does not have to be an artist for their feedback to be welcomed. Among survey questions are what colors are evoked by thinking of the White Lake area, notable local people who may deserve depiction on the mural, and what qualities make the area special, among other questions.
Peyer said she’s received some interesting feedback already from the 50 or so surveys that have been completed. One respondent said the mural could be interactive through a QR code that could bring a virtual-reality type of experience to people’s phones. Another suggested climbing grips be part of the wall.
Some suggestions are more likely to be incorporated than others, but Peyer said she hopes to get as much data as possible so the artist who is commissioned to make the mural will have the most complete feedback to work with.
“We’re hoping that will all translate to the mural,” Peyer said.
The artist has not yet been chosen, a process that will continue for months. Peyer said the ACWL-Nuveen has posted a public RFQ (request for qualifications) at artswhitelake.org/call-for-artists which notes it is seeking “an experienced community-based Michigan artist.” A committee consisting of ACWL-Nuveen staff, CatchMark Technologies staff, and a representative from City Hall will choose a small group of finalists from those who respond to the request. The plan is for each finalist to submit a design draft in January, and by the end of that month, the committee will choose the artist to design the mural. A requirement of the commission will be to participate in community engagement sessions to solicit further feedback for what will go on the mural, and the work should be completed sometime in summer 2025.
