Page 1 of 2

PUBLIC ART ADVISORY COMMISSION

AGENDA REPORT

Public Art Advisory Commission Meeting Date: June 3, 2019

To: Chair and Commissioners

From: Olivia Lemen, Acting Parks and Facilities Superintendent

Subject: Downtown Banner Design Project

Recommendation:

Receive staff report regarding proposed downtown light pole banner designs and by

motion make a recommendation to Town Council.

Background:

The current Fiscal Year 2018-19 budget includes funds to replace the existing downtown

light pole banners and pennants (Attachment 1). There are fifty-two (52) hanging banners

along Windsor River Road, Honsa Avenue, Windsor Road, Bell Road and the Town

Green. There are twenty-two (22) existing Town Green pennants that hang on light poles

surrounding the Town Green. The current banners and pennants were designed in 2003

through a stakeholder outreach process which included Town staff, the Chamber of

Commerce, business owners and graphic designers. The banners have been displayed

approximately 10 months per year for the last 15 years. The banners have exceeded their

intended life span and have deteriorated due exposure to the elements.

During the budgeting process for FY 2017-19, the Public Art Advisory Commission

(PAAC) formed a sub-committee including Commissioner Julian Cohen and past

Commissioner Rhoann Ponseti. The existing designs were reviewed by the sub-

committee for artistic relevance and appropriateness to Windsor. It was recommended

that staff facilitate a process including students and an educational component. This

would satisfy PAAC’s Vision for Windsor to be an art destination that raises the

potential for education, innovation, collaborative community engagement and cultural

exploration.

Discussion:

The Town engaged design professionals through a Request for Proposal (RFP) process

that required a minimum of three classroom visits including a design thinking challenge.

The Design Guild of Petaluma was selected. In February of 2019, The Design Guild

began an extensive design process with two separate classrooms. The design thinking

process included three steps: Empathize, Ideate, and Prototype:

Empathize

A fifth-grade classroom at Brooks Elementary School began phase one of the project by

understanding what the Town’s needs are. Students developed survey questions which

were distributed through the following channels:

• Middle school students at Windsor Middle School

• Middle school students at Cali Calmecac Language Academy (Cali)

Page 2 of 2

• Students at Brooks Elementary

• Business owners through the Chamber of Commerce

Ideate

The students analyzed more than 500 survey responses and looked for trends and

thinking patterns. At the end of phase one, the students presented their recommendations

to Town staff and to The Design Guild which included themes, colors and “big ideas”.

Prototype

Based on the recommendations, the Design Guild developed an official creative brief that

was presented to a sixth to eight grade art class at Cali including a presentation about the

creative process. Students spent a class period brainstorming and creating thumbnail

sketches that represented the “big ideas” through imagery. Two weeks later, the students

presented finished works of art to staff and The Design Guild.

The final phase includes the development of the finished product. The four draft design

schemes are a culmination of work from both classes (Attachment 2). The artwork was

scanned digitally and incorporated into a cohesive design by The Design Guild. Upon

review and approval from the PAAC, a specific design scheme will be finalized prior to

being presented to Council for approval.

It is recommended that the twenty-two (22) pennants and fifty-two (52) banners be

replaced with seventy-four (74) banners that will alternate six coordinated designs. There

will no longer be a variation between the street banners and the Town Green pennants.

Financial Impact:

There are adequate funds in the FY 2018-19 budget to complete this project.

Attachments:

1) Existing banner images

2) Draft design schemes

Prepared By: Approved by:

Olivia Lemen Donna Legge

Acting Parks and Facilities Superintendent Parks and Recreation Director

Existing Banners, Pennants and Downtown locations.

Attachment 1

Attachment 1

Legend: Town Green Pennant Banner (22) Old Downtown Banner (52) Half Marathon Banner (10) No Banner Hometown Hero Banner (37 poles)

Updated 09/20/16

Flag banners – Windsor River Road only – 34 banners Put up before Memorial Day take down after Vineman in July. (34 new flag banners Purchased Sept 2013 stored above shop office)

Holiday Banners – Windsor River Road, Windsor Road, Town Green, Honsa Road, Bell Road, In front of Town Hall, Council Chambers Put up before annual Holiday Celebration (the first Thursday in December)

Town Green Pennant Banners & Streamers – 22 each

Half Marathon Banners – (10) Timeline Walk only on 12ft poles. Put up for weekend of event usually 3rd weekend in May. Stored at the Shop. Purchased by the event sponsor. Acorn lights are 16ft. (interior Timeline Walk lights are 12ft.)

OLD DOWNTOWN BANNER MAP & LEGEND

Poles are too short to hang banners

Attachment 1