A draft plan for the public art paid for by Fort Worth's 2026 bond program would put new works at parks, fire stations, a library, the emergency operations center and the planned animal shelter, with $10,752,000 in all.
The Fort Worth Art Commission endorsed the draft at its Oct. 19 meeting while leaving room for changes, the Fort Worth Report's Documenters program reported. Fort Worth Public Art, the city program run by Arts Fort Worth, has posted the endorsed draft, and the commission will hear from the public at its next meeting, 5:30 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 16, at the Ella Mae Shamblee Library, 1062 Evans Ave. Final approval is expected in January or February, according to the Report.
Where the money would go
The art budget is a set share of each bond proposition: 1% of the streets and mobility money and 2% of the park, library, public safety and animal shelter propositions. The affordable housing proposition carries no art share. That works out to:
- Streets and mobility, $4.9 million, for art tied to road work at 10 locations, including Rosen Park, Sycamore Park, Unity Park, Fairfax Park, Babbling Brook Park, the North Triethnic Community Center, East Bailey Boswell Road and the Southside Pump Station.
- Parks, $3.14 million, for North Z Boaz Park's aquatic facility, the Atatiana Carr-Jefferson Community Center at Hillside, Glenwood Park, Rolling Hills Athletic Complex, the Fort Worth Water Gardens, Trinity Park and Gateway Park West.
- Public safety, $1.25 million, split evenly at about $417,800 each among Fire Station 46, Fire Station 40 and the Emergency Communications and Operations Center in the Zipper Building.
- Animal care, $1.17 million, for the new shelter that will replace the Chuck Silcox facility, the largest amount for any single site.
- Library, $286,000, for the Southwest Regional Library.
Two sites draw from both the streets and parks pots: Buck Sansom Park, at $700,000, and Meadowbrook Golf Course, at $600,000. East Bailey Boswell Road also picks up $100,000 left from the 2022 bond.
