What’s the big idea in Palo Alto? Mobile Arts Platform offers a new way to share your voice

Anyone who has been to a public meeting in Palo Alto knows that people here are not shy about sharing their ideas. But what about the many Palo Alto residents who have never been to City Hall, but still have ideas about how to make the city more livable?

A new idea: meet residents where they go, from the Farmer’s Market to the Moonlight Run

This cyclist’s idea? More art along bike paths

To connect with Palo Alto’s busy residents, The Mobile Arts Platform (M.A.P.), led by artists Peter Foucault and Chris Treggiari, is traveling around on a bicycle to engage people in envisioning how art can improve the city.

Look for the Mobile Art Project bicycle all over town and share your ideas!

The program is called, “What’s the Big Idea?” and it’s part of the City of Palo Alto Public Art master planning effort, which is intended to inform both the vision and specifics for public art in Palo Alto for the next five years. The plan, which will be complete in spring 2016, will include issues such as role of temporary art, ways to engage the community and schools, how to maintain the city’s permanent art collection of over 100 works, and the future of murals and other public art.

Palo Altans weigh in on how to improve the city and its art program

“What’s the Big Idea” made stops at City Hall and the California Avenue Farmer’s Market recently, with more dates and locations still to come (click here or see below for a full list).  Palo Alto Pulse joined Chris and Peter on September 13th, and we heard from families, college students, seniors and more. Not surprisingly, people loved the opportunity to create art to express their ideas, such as:

Stanford grads stopped by the “What’s the Big Idea” bicycle to share their thoughts

From two Stanford undergrads: “I want to see more big green spaces and fountains!” and “How about more usable art like benches and unique lighting?”

From a Palo Alto dad: “I would like to give local artists the chance to show their work in Palo Alto.”

From a Palo Alto commuter: “I would like to see more art at the train station and in parks”

From a farmer’s market regular: “Can we use art to demonstrate the diversity of the Bay Area?”

From Jordan Middle School student: “I would like to see more murals and chalk on the sidewalks.”

A Jordan Middle School student wants more chalk sidewalk art

• “Incorporating poetry, storytelling, cultural  expression, and visual exploration from marginalized communities, into public art.”
• “Make space-small rotating galleries available to local artists.”
• “I want public art I can climb on, jump in, and play with.”
• “Fun art along the bike paths to help promote biking and art.”
• “Creating a series of free community experiences in downtown Palo Alto that incorporates many creative modalities.”
• “Having more street art…Discovering the next American Banksy.”
• “Public art that will make people look more at their city instead of being on the phone.”
• “Make displaying art more accessible/fun for younger kids.”
• “Having more technology art.”
• “Creating spaces for teenagers to hang out and play music together.”
• “Inviting art installations and pop-ups. Art that engages and inspires!”
• “Interactive works of art that encourage dialogue and creativity.”

M.A.P artist Peter Foucault at the Cal Ave Farmer’s Market

More dates for M.A.P. coming up soon– don’t miss a chance to share your ideas!

• Thursday, September 24^th, 12pm-3pm at Town & Country and from 4pm-7pm at Antonio’s Nut House
• Friday, September 25^th, 6pm-9pm for the Moonlight Run at the Baylands Athletic Center
• Saturday, September, 26^th, 1pm-6pm at Cubberley Community Center
• Thursday, October, 1^st, 11am-1pm at the Magical Bridge Playground and 3pm-7pm at Lytton Plaza
• Thursday, October 8^th, 12pm -4pm at Cogswell Plaza/Avenidas and 5pm-8pm in Downtown Palo Alto at University and Emerson

Learn more about public art in Palo Alto

To learn more about public art in Palo Alto, please visit: cityofpaloalto.org/publicart

Like this article? Check out this one or even this one to learn more about Palo Alto’s awesome public art program.

It’s fun to create art that shares your ‘big idea’!