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Arts Commission

Arts Commission

Tue, July 7, 2026

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Meeting summaryAI-generated

Bellingham Arts Commission — July 7, 2026


This was a regular meeting of the Bellingham Arts Commission, held in the Mayor's Boardroom with remote participation via Teams. Six of seven commissioners were present; Blake Hudson was absent. The meeting covered two mural approvals, early design guidance for the Eldridge Bridge replacement, and a significant policy disagreement over a proposed change to the city's Percent for Art ordinance.


Approval of Minutes


The June 2026 meeting minutes were approved without discussion.


Vote: Moved by Patricia McDonnell, seconded by Amy Chaloupka. All ayes.


Commercial Street Parking Garage Mural


Staff planner Darby Galligan introduced the item, noting that while small temporary installations are not ideal, they reflect community interest in short-term visual improvements. She emphasized that any approval would be paired with a contract between the Downtown Bellingham Partnership and artist Ivan Colin spelling out maintenance expectations — and allowing for removal if the mural is not kept up to standard. Artist Ivan Colin then described his color palette and design approach and answered commissioner questions about his methodology. The commission approved the final mural design as proposed.


Vote: Moved by Patricia McDonnell, seconded by Amy Chaloupka. All ayes.


Bellingham Farmer's Market Mural Proposal


Chloe Knox of the Bellingham Farmer's Market presented a design for a new mural on the retaining wall adjacent to the Depot Market Square parking lot. Two murals already exist nearby — one on a storage container and one near the proposed site by the stairs. The new design was developed to complement those works: it uses a color palette coordinating with the stairside mural and draws stylistically from the storage container mural. The mural is planned as a community installation project on August 22, coinciding with a Farmer's Market day. Commissioners asked a few questions about how the artist balanced coordination with existing works while maintaining their own artistic voice. The commission approved the design.


Vote: Moved by Phillip Freytag, seconded by Sùsanna à'Kinlochaline. All ayes.


Eldridge Bridge Percent for Art Update


Aric Smathers from Public Works and Anne Fabrelo from engineering firm KPFF presented an overview of the Eldridge Bridge replacement project and the opportunities it presents for incorporating aesthetic elements within engineering and safety constraints. This was a preliminary guidance session; the team will return with a drafted design for further commission review.


Commissioners expressed a clear preference for an art deco design style throughout the entire bridge, citing the original bridge's arched design and one of the reference examples provided. They stressed that all elements — railings, lighting, and structure — should be cohesive rather than treated as isolated components.


Specific direction included:


Exterior (crash-rated) railings: Incorporate art deco arches into the metal panel design. For the taller section required by BNSF railroad standards, use simpler vertical rails coordinated in style and spacing with the main railing, ensuring the BNSF fence is visually congruous.
Interior railings: Preference for removing the interior railing in favor of a curb, or reducing railing height and simplifying the design to complement the exterior without the arch detail. Commissioners explicitly did not like the cable railing example shown.
Lighting: Single-lamp lampposts in a style similar to those in Cornwall/Broadway Park, mounted on concrete plinths that could incorporate an arch stamp or interesting shape. Pedestrian-level downcast lights on the plinths were also suggested for added interest and path visibility.

KPFF was asked to engage a professional designer or architect — from their own staff or outsourced — to develop a repeatable metal panel incorporating the art deco style for further review at a future meeting.


No vote taken — this was a guidance session; staff will return with a drafted design.


Percent for Art Code Update


Staff briefed the commission on an ordinance update in progress. The update includes a recently added provision that would allow the Mayor to cap the Percent for Art contribution for capital projects exceeding $100 million. Commissioners were unanimously opposed to this change.


The commission voted to forward a formal advisory statement to the Mayor and City Council. The statement argued that the proposed cap "restricts and limits rather than elevates what is possible for Bellingham," noting that public artworks in the $1–$3 million range are common today and that the change does not reflect best practice in the field. The commission called on city leadership to "dream big for a bold Bellingham." Commissioner Joe Clark added that the commission recognizes it is an advisory body and offered the feedback respectfully, in deference to whatever final decision the Mayor makes.


Vote: Moved by Patricia McDonnell, seconded by Amy Chaloupka. All ayes. Statement will be forwarded to the Mayor.


Public Comment


No public comment was received.


For the Good of the Order and Announcements


Staff shared several Percent for Art project updates:


James-Bakerview Roundabout: Interviews with the top three artist finalists are underway; a selection is expected soon.
Parkview / Safe Routes to School: A design contract is being drafted.
Library Remodel: The selection jury identified one top candidate but has remaining questions about fit. Staff will follow up with the artist and, if needed, issue a new Request for Qualifications.
Lettered Streets Mural: The final design was substantially similar to the previously approved concept, so no additional commission approval was required. The mural is scheduled to be painted July 11.
BAC Art Tour: Commissioners were reminded of an optional but recommended collection tour on July 16, intended to inform future decisions on conservation, re-siting, or decommissioning of several existing works.

Key Takeaways


Two murals approved: The Commercial Street Parking Garage mural (with a maintenance/removal contract in place) and the Bellingham Farmer's Market retaining wall mural (planned for community installation on August 22) both received final design approval.
Eldridge Bridge design direction set: The commission gave clear guidance to pursue a cohesive art deco aesthetic — arched metal panels, coordinated railings, and Cornwall Park–style lampposts — across the entire replacement bridge. KPFF will return with a drafted design.
Commission pushes back on Percent for Art cap: The commission unanimously and formally opposed a proposed ordinance change that would allow the Mayor to cap art funding on capital projects over $100 million, calling it contrary to best practice and sending a statement to the Mayor and Council.
Library remodel art selection in limbo: Only one artist emerged from the jury process, but fit is uncertain; staff may need to reopen the RFQ.
Lettered Streets Mural painting this week: Set for July 11, no further approvals needed.

AI-generated summary from voice-to-text transcript. Not the official record. Verify important details with the source documents linked above.

What happened at this meeting

Approval of meeting minutes.

Patricia McDonnell moved to approve the June 2026 meeting minutes, seconded by Amy Chaloupka. The motion passed with all members in favor.

Review final design proposal for the Commercial Street Parking Garage.

Darby Galligan from PCDD, along with Lindsey Payne Johnstone and Nathalie Wagner from Downtown Bellingham Partnership, presented the Commercial Street Parking Garage Mural design with artist Ivan Colin. Patricia moved to approve the mural design as proposed, Amy seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.

Farmer's Market Mural Proposal

Chloe Knox from Bellingham Farmer's Market presented a mural design for the retaining wall adjacent to Depot Market Square parking lot, coordinated with existing murals and planned for installation on 8/22 as a community project. Commissioners asked questions about the artist's process of coordinating with existing murals; Phil moved to approve the artwork as proposed as a final design, Susanna seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.

Eldridge Bridge Percent for Art update

Aric Smathers from Public Works and Anne Fabrello from KPFF presented the Eldridge Bridge Percent for Art Project update, seeking preliminary design guidance. Commissioners expressed strong preference for art deco design elements, particularly arches, and provided specific recommendations for exterior railing, interior railing, and lighting design, requesting KPFF work with a professional designer to incorporate the cohesive art deco style throughout all bridge elements.

Percent for Art code updates

Staff presented a history of the Percent for Art ordinance update, including a proposed revision to cap funding for art on capital projects over $100M. Commissioners were not in support of this revision; Patricia moved a statement advising the Mayor and City Council to reconsider the cap, emphasizing that the restriction limits public art merit and does not reflect best practice, with Joe noting the BAC is an advisory body supporting the Mayor's decision. The motion passed unanimously and will be forwarded to the Mayor.

Agenda items (8)

Procedural (4)
1ProceduralRoll Call
The meeting begins with a roll call to record which council members are present.
2ProceduralApproval of meeting minutes.
The council will review and vote to approve the official written record of the previous meeting.

What happened

Patricia McDonnell moved to approve the June 2026 meeting minutes, seconded by Amy Chaloupka. The motion passed with all members in favor.
7ProceduralPublic Comment Period During this time, citizens may take up to three (3) minutes to address the members about any topic not on the agenda. Citizens wishing to speak during this time will be recognized by the Chair for comment.
Community members can sign up to speak directly to the council for up to three minutes about any topic, whether or not it appears on this agenda.
8ProceduralFor the Good of the Order and Announcements
Council members can make brief remarks, announcements, or recognition of community achievements before the meeting concludes.

What happened

Staff provided updates on several Percent for Art projects: James-Bakerview roundabout artist interviews underway, Parkview/Safe Routes to School design contract drafted, Library remodel jury selected one artist pending further inquiry on fit, and Lettered Streets Mural final design approved for painting on 7/11. A BAC Art Tour is scheduled for 7/16 to view pieces in the collection and inform decisions on conservation and possible re-siting or decommissioning.
General Business
3General BusinessReview final design proposal for the Commercial Street Parking Garage.
The council will examine and discuss the final design plans for a new parking garage planned for Commercial Street.

What happened

Darby Galligan from PCDD, along with Lindsey Payne Johnstone and Nathalie Wagner from Downtown Bellingham Partnership, presented the Commercial Street Parking Garage Mural design with artist Ivan Colin. Patricia moved to approve the mural design as proposed, Amy seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.
4General BusinessFarmer's Market Mural Proposal
A proposal to create or support a mural at or near the Farmer's Market will be presented for council consideration.

What happened

Chloe Knox from Bellingham Farmer's Market presented a mural design for the retaining wall adjacent to Depot Market Square parking lot, coordinated with existing murals and planned for installation on 8/22 as a community project. Commissioners asked questions about the artist's process of coordinating with existing murals; Phil moved to approve the artwork as proposed as a final design, Susanna seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.
5General BusinessEldridge Bridge Percent for Art update
The council will receive an update on the Percent for Art program's progress on the Eldridge Bridge project, which requires a percentage of construction funds to be dedicated to public art.

What happened

Aric Smathers from Public Works and Anne Fabrello from KPFF presented the Eldridge Bridge Percent for Art Project update, seeking preliminary design guidance. Commissioners expressed strong preference for art deco design elements, particularly arches, and provided specific recommendations for exterior railing, interior railing, and lighting design, requesting KPFF work with a professional designer to incorporate the cohesive art deco style throughout all bridge elements.
6General BusinessPercent for Art code updates
The council will consider changes to the city's Percent for Art rules and policies that govern how public art is funded and selected for city projects.

What happened

Staff presented a history of the Percent for Art ordinance update, including a proposed revision to cap funding for art on capital projects over $100M. Commissioners were not in support of this revision; Patricia moved a statement advising the Mayor and City Council to reconsider the cap, emphasizing that the restriction limits public art merit and does not reflect best practice, with Joe noting the BAC is an advisory body supporting the Mayor's decision. The motion passed unanimously and will be forwarded to the Mayor.

Additional votes recorded in minutes

Approve June 2026 meeting minutes

aye 6 · absent 1
Adonia Cairnsaye
Amy Chaloupkaaye
Blake Hudsonabsent
Joe Clarkaye
Patricia McDonnellaye
Phillip Freytagaye
Sùsanna à'Kinlochalineaye

Approve Commercial Street Parking Garage mural design

aye 6 · absent 1
Adonia Cairnsaye
Amy Chaloupkaaye
Blake Hudsonabsent
Joe Clarkaye
Patricia McDonnellaye
Phillip Freytagaye
Sùsanna à'Kinlochalineaye

Approve Bellingham Farmer's Market mural design

aye 6 · absent 1
Adonia Cairnsaye
Amy Chaloupkaaye
Blake Hudsonabsent
Joe Clarkaye
Patricia McDonnellaye
Phillip Freytagaye
Sùsanna à'Kinlochalineaye

Approve statement advising Mayor and City Council to reconsider Percent-for-Art funding cap

aye 6 · absent 1
Adonia Cairnsaye
Amy Chaloupkaaye
Blake Hudsonabsent
Joe Clarkaye
Patricia McDonnellaye
Phillip Freytagaye
Sùsanna à'Kinlochalineaye

Verbatim transcript available

24 transcript segments indexed

Arts Commission Minutes City of Bellingham, Washington Tuesday 5:00 PM July 7, 2026 Mayor's Boardroom & Teams Video Recorded https://meetings.cob.org Call to Order The Arts Commission meeting was called to order by the Chair at 5:02 PM.
Video link available upon request. Introductions Members: ☒ Patricia McDonnell (Chair) ☐ Blake Hudson ☒ Adonia Cairns ☒ Phillip Freytag ☒ Amy Chaloupka ☒ Joe Clark ☒ Sùsanna à’Kinlochaline Staff/ Other Panelists: Darby Galligan, PCDD Anne Fabrelo, KPFF Taylor Littrell, PCDD Lindsey Payne Johnstone & Nathalie Wagner, Downtown Tara Sundin, PCDD Bellingham Partnership Aric Smathers, Public Works Ivan Colin, artist Chloe Knox, Bellingham Farmer’s Market Chloe Knox, Bellingham Farmer’s Market Approval of minutes from previous meeting Patricia McDonnell/Amy Chaloupka moved to approve the June 2026 meeting minutes.
VOTE: ALL AYES - Agenda Items 1. Commercial Street Parking Garage Mural pg. 7 Darby Galligan, PCDD. Lindsey Payne Johnstone & Nathalie Wagler, DBP. Ivan Colin, artist Darby provided an overview of the process to-date, including acknowledgement that small, temporary installations aren’t ideal but reflect a community desire for some short-term improvements.
She emphasized that there would be a contract with the DBP/artist regarding expectations for maintenance and possible removal of the piece if it isn’t kept up to a high standard. The artist Ivan Colin described the approach to the color palette and design, and he answered some questions about methodology.
Patricia moved to approve the mural design as proposed, Amy seconded. All in favor, motion passes. 2. Bellingham Farmer’s Market Mural pg. 32 Chloe Knox, Bellingham Farmer’s Market, presented a design for a proposed mural on the retaining wall adjacent to the Depot Market Square parking lot.
There are two existing murals in the Farmer’s Market space: one on the storage container and another near the proposed site by the stairs. Chloe worked with the artist to create a design in a color palette that is complimentary to the mural near the stairs and is of a similar style to the mural on the storage container.
The mural is planned for install on 8/22 as a community project aligning with a Farmer’s Market day. Commissioners had a few questions about the artist’s process of coordinating with the existing mural while still staying true to their own style.
Phil moved to approve the artwork as proposed as a final design, Susanna seconded. All in favor, motion passes. 3. Eldridge Bridge Percent for Art Project Update pg. 35 Aric Smathers, Public Works, and Anne Fabrello, KPFF designer, gave a summary of the Eldridge Bridge project as well as opportunities to incorporate aesthetic elements into the design while still meeting all required safety and engineering standards.
They are seeking preliminary guidance on design, and they will come back to the Arts Commission again once a design is drafted for additional review. Arts Commissioners expressed desire for the Eldridge bridge elements to reflect an art deco design style, particularly arches, as shown in the original bridge design and in one of the examples provided.
It is requested that KPFF seek guidance from a professional designer/ architect (from their own staff or outsourced) on the best way to incorporate the art deco style into elements of the new bridge, creating a repeatable metal panel as an example design for further review.
The focus of the discussion was primarily centered around design guidance for the railings (interior and exterior) and lighting. However, the Commissioners noted the importance of considering the design of the entire bridge rather than looking at the individual elements separately.
All elements of the bridge, including the railings and lighting, should be cohesive and in the same art deco style. Specific design element recommendations: • Exterior railing (crash rated): incorporate art deco style arches into metal panel design.
For the BNSF requirements, consider simple vertical rails (coordinated in the same style and spacing) for the taller section required by BNSF. The BNSF fence design should be congruous to exterior railing design.
• Interior railing: preference for either removing the interior railing (in favor of a curb), reducing the railing height, and/or more simplistic design that is congruous to the external railing using the horizontal and vertical framework, without the arch pattern detail.
They did not like the cable design example shown. • Lighting: include lampposts in a similar style to lampposts in Cornwall/ Broadway Park (single lamp, rather than double), lampposts to be installed on concrete plinths, which could include an arch design stamp or other interesting shape, and/or could consider including a pedestrian level downcast light on the plinths to create additional interest and visibility on the shared use path.
4. Percent for Art Code Update pg. 36 Staff provided a history of the ordinance update to date which included a recent revision to include the possibility to cap the portion of funds for art for capital projects over $100M with approval from the Mayor.
The Commissioners were not in support of this revision. Patricia moved, and Amy seconded the following statement: The BAC strongly advises the Mayor and City Council to reconsider the cap on funding for Percent-for-Art projects, as now drafted in the proposed update to the City of Bellingham Ordinance.
The change to limit art commissions when capital projects exceed $100 million into the foreseeable future restricts and limits rather than elevates what is possible for Bellingham. In the art world today, a public artwork at $1 to $3 million is common.
Budgets and policy reflect values, and this change signals that public art has less merit. The change does not reflect best practice. As art professionals, we cannot recommend this funding restriction for public art as positive for Bellingham.
We advise City leadership to dream big for a bold Bellingham that is recognized for creativity and a prosperous life for all plus excellence in the arts. Discussion: Joe wanted to ensure the Mayor knows the BAC is aware they are only an advisory body and supports whatever decision she makes.
The feedback is proposed respectfully and in support of the arts. All in favor, motion is approved and will be forwarded to the Mayor. Other Business . Public Comment Period No public comment . For the Good of the Order and Announcements Percent for Art project updates - James-Bakerview roundabout: interviews for the top three artists are underway and a finalist will be selected soon - Parkview/ Safe Routes to School: design contract is drafted - Library remodel: the jury determined only one artist rose to the top, but questions remained as to whether he’d be the best fit for the project.
Staff will inquire further with the artist to determine if it will be a good fit and if needed will post a separate RFQ for this project. Lettered Streets Mural – the final design was substantially similar to the concept, so it did not need additional approval by the BAC.
The mural will be painted on 7/11. Reminder: BAC Art Tour on 7/16 – this is an optional, but recommended tour, for the Commissioners. It’s an opportunity to see pieces in our collection and help inform decisions on next steps for possible conservation/ re-siting/ decommissioning of several works.
Meeting Adjourned at 7:27 pm Minutes prepared by: ____________________________________________ Taylor Littrell, Development Specialist II and Darby Galligan, Senior Planner Minutes edited by both staff and Arts Commission members.