Lansing ArtPath: Public Art on the Lansing River Trail

ArtPath highlights Michigan’s creative talent and reenergizes sites along the Lansing River Trail with temporary works of public art during the summer months. Now in the fifth year, ArtPath has become an annual public art program and a tradition for residents and visitors alike.

Origins

What began as an idea in 2017 between Katrina Daniels, exhibitions and gallery sales director at the Lansing Art Gallery & Education Center and Emily Stevens, manager of leisure services for the City of Lansing, flourished into the first ArtPath program in 2018. With the city’s knowledge and access of the River Trail, and the Gallery’s expertise in the arts, they were able to work together to create a safe, professionally curated, accessible experience for the community. A membership with the Michigan Recreation and Parks Association (mParks) provided access to placemaking best practices that would help guide the project. Placemaking became a focus of mParks when former MML staffer, Arnold Weinfield, joined the board—so big thanks to Arnold and the MML! Research was also done in urban planning and public art with the hope to engage the community in a space outside of the walls of a formal arts institution.

Getting the Project Underway

Site selection is focused along a 2.5-mile stretch of the River Trail that connects three key and densely populated neighborhoods: Old Town, Downtown, and REO Town. Once sites are selected, the city’s Park Board is asked for permission to place artwork along the River Trail. When we’ve received the thumbs up from the Park Board, we touch base with the city’s Public Service Department to identify best practices for installation methods and determine ownership of spaces; this ensures that we are in public land. We also connect with the State on any sites focused on MDOT bridges that cross the River Trail.

Upon approval of the sites, the call to artists goes out along with a panel of art professionals to review the submissions, also providing their recommendations. The artwork is then presented to the Mayor’s Arts and Culture Commission—a group that was formed by Mayor Andy Schor four years ago—to focus on promoting and supporting public art, for final approval. With a green light from everyone, the project is able to move forward, with installs starting in May.

Beautifying Unsightly Areas

Specific focus is placed on areas that could benefit from beautification and activation efforts. Such spaces could be void of vegetation, or have walls that are frequently tagged with graffiti, giving the spaces a feeling of abandonment. These spaces would not be areas users would traditionally stop and rest at, but instead pass by quickly anxious to get to a better view. We worked to transform spaces under bridges from concrete gaps lacking life to energizing and vibrant spaces pulsing with creativity. We’ve done so by placing interactive sculptures along the trail, allowing youth and adults alike to experience art in a way they may never have before.

Now, in areas like the vast concrete expanse under Interstate 4-96, you will find people taking pictures and enjoying the diverse grouping of murals that cover the walls. Diversity of art mediums and artists themselves is a large focus of this project. Our goal is to expose the community to several art styles and medias, possibly challenging them to reconsider their own definition of art. We strive to have our artists reflect our community and are very proud of the variety of marvelous people we have been able to work with over the years.

Active Art

Lansing Parks and Recreation strives to provide opportunities for residents to enjoy the outdoors, get active, and connect with each other. ArtPath does all these things, encouraging people to walk from site to site, unite with local artists’ work, and even learn and chat with the artists themselves during scheduled “artist talks” throughout the summer. The Lansing Art Gallery & Education Center works to provide public awareness, education, and enjoyment of the visual arts by promoting the works of Michigan artists. By working with artists to display outside of the Gallery’s four walls, they have brought the experience to the masses, ensuring everyone can enjoy our local artists. One of our ArtPath artists, Isiah Lattimore, stated "the outdoors doesn't close," meaning that you can explore public art in your own time, and at your own pace, creating more opportunities for access and discovery.

ArtPath focuses on temporary installations, only lasting through the summer months. We do this purposely to change and highlight a space that a viewer may not be aware of, or notice. The excitement of an artist’s work brings an immediate energy and activation to the space, causing the viewer to take notice with a different perspective. Although many of our murals have remained, much of the work of ArtPath is removed after three months. The yearly change encourages the viewer to revisit every year to experience the new interpretations of the space.

Community Response

The community has responded with open arms to ArtPath, from coming out and experiencing the art (over 82,000 people), to supporting the project financially. ArtPath has been lucky enough to be a part of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) Patronicity Program for the past four years, a fabulous program in which MEDC matches the community contribution. Each year has been wildly successful, receiving an average of $8,000 from the community. With the help of these funds, ArtPath financially supports the artists at $1,000 per site. ArtPath also consists of wayfinding and interpretive signage, programming, and other supports to ensure the public can fully enjoy the event. ArtPath is also generously supported by several area business through sponsorships and grants. It has been the fortunate recipient of grants focused on arts and placemaking like the City of Lansing Arts Projects and Ingham County Hotel/ Motel Funds for the Arts grants both administered by The Arts Council of Greater Lansing.

The most satisfying part of ArtPath for the co-creators, Katrina and Emily, is watching the public engage with the works. From a small child taking her parents along an install and showing them every detail as if she put them there herself, to the photos taken in front the many murals, every smile is soul-filling. One resident stated when they saw the ArtPath install, “Someone loves Lansing as much as I do!” This project creates community pride and love. Together, local artists and fabulous Lansing residents strengthen our community through creativity, diversity, and appreciation. I could not be prouder to be part of this wonderful, creative community.

Emily Stevens is the manager of leisure services for the City of Lansing Parks and Recreation Department. You may contact her at 517.483.6074 or [email protected].

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