Joliet Renaissance? City may create arts commission

The city plans to create a Joliet Arts Commission.

The commission would develop city policies aimed at fostering the arts in Joliet, providing new opportunities for local artists, and “enhance the image and creative history of the community,” according to an ordinance that would establish the commission.

The ordinance will be reviewed Thursday by the Joliet City Council Land Use and Legislative Commission.

“Joliet is not known as an artists’ community, but we have a lot of artists here,” said Quinn Adamowski, who has coordinated an effort to create the commission. “To have a commission, I think, will raise the profile of these artists in general and make Joliet a place where artists may want to bring their practice.”

The creation of public art, such as the murals and sculptures that were developed for the city in past years by Friends of Community Public Art, could be one goal of the commission.

“The commission is going to determine the direction that it wants to go,” Adamowski said, adding that public art “is not in any shape or form the sole focus of the commission.”

Adamowski expects participation from musicians, actors and others in the performing arts, as well as visual artists.

The ordinance would establish a commission of 18 members.

Seventeen voting members would have backgrounds in fine arts, nonprofits, government, education, business, law, marketing and media, as well as architecture and urban planning.

City employees would serve as a nonvoting liaison.