In the News | Forecast Public Art

Image: our Alameda community engagement artist, Yolanda Cotton Turner, stands before her art.

January 27, 2023

Alameda Sun

City to Launch Public Art Website; Complete Art Plan

As a part of the initial community outreach efforts, Forecast conducted a series of one-on-one interviews, focus groups, and community pop-up meetings. In addition, Forecast facilitated three discussions with the Public Art Commission to explore….

Photo portraits from “To Your Raise Head – Stories of Immigration” at Second Shift Studio in Saint Paul. Photo courtesy Shun Jie Yong, a member of the artist collective CarryOn Homes.

An exterior brick wall features wheat-pasted photos of immigrants lovingly holding items from their homelands

December 2, 2022

MPR News

All Things Considered [Listen]

New exhibit celebrates Southwest Asian and North African immigrants in Minnesota

An immersive collection of stories on finding home and belonging

“To Your Raised Head – Stories of Immigration” showcases a tapestry of experiences from people who have had to rebuild home in the face of war, political upheaval and loss. The project is an intergroup collaboration between the artist collective CarryOn Homes, the Iraqi American Reconciliation Project (IARP) and Winona Afghan Support Network (WASN). It was made possible by funding from Forecast Public Art.

The congregation of Brown’s Chapel, Hastings, gathered in front of their church circa 1900. Pictured are the congregation’s minister (in the top hat), brass band musician John Goodman (front row, right), Mrs. Weldon, Mrs. Curry, and Mr. Wallace (at left in the second row). Bill Douglas stands on the platform in the rear. Photo courtesy Howard Crosby / Minnesota Historical Society.

a monochrome image of a group of smartly dressed Black people standing in front of a wooden structure

The nature of our work as consultants means our role is often behind the scenes. Though not named in this article, we would like to uplift this coverage of a project informed by technical assistance our team provided, which was supported by our Public Art for Racial Justice Fund.

August 27, 2022

Star Tribune

New Artwork to commemorate Black church in Hastings destroyed by arson a century ago

A thriving Black population lived in Hastings beginning in the 1850s, history many residents may not know.

A Hastings nonprofit dedicated to recognizing the city’s early African American population is working toward installing a new piece of art to commemorate a Black church that stood for 15 years only to be burned down by an arsonist in 1907.

August 26, 2022

WCCO – CBS Minnesota

State Fair artwork stresses inclusion

Each day local artists use spray paint and brushes to create large-scale pieces that reflect the inclusive world they want to live in, Tricia Heuring explains.

“This is the second year of the Joyful World Mural Park. It was commissioned by the State Fair and supported by the State Fair Foundation. The organization Forecast Public Art puts on the mural park as well. Last year twelve artists painted live murals. This year we had four new artists, so we’re adding new murals to the park. It was on open call, so the artists applied.”

Tricia Heuringconsulting team member, Forecast–quoted in interview with WCCO-CBS Minnesota

“It’s really nice when young kids come up [to watch] and they’re inspired by painting, and art in general, and you can see it’s something they want to get into.”

Wes Winshipartist–quoted in interview with WCCO-CBS Minnesota

“Last year when we were thinking about what to theme the park, we wanted something that would draw people in. The space of the mural park is really fun, quiet and calming. If you want a moment, a little art oasis, you can find the park and sit. It’s a sort of meditation, watching the artists work. The murals are really happy and positive.”

Tricia Heuringconsulting team member, Forecast–quoted in interview with WCCO-CBS Minnesota

July 27, 2022

East Bay Times

Alameda Briefs [Citizens encouraged to share feedback about public art]

The city of Alameda has engaged national arts consulting organization Forecast Public Art to lead the process of developing the city’s first Public Art Master Plan.

Memorial to WWII Hero, Doris Miller. Doris Miller was born and raised in Waco, Texas, and was the first African-American to be awarded the Navy Cross for his bravery during Pearl Harbor. Three bronze relief images tell his life story, with a bronze relief of the Navy Cross. Cultural Arts of Waco, a non-profit based in Waco, raised funds to complete the memorial.

hexagonal hive-like relief design in a metal wall that curves around a water feature

July 6, 2022

Waco Insider

Creative Waco Brings Public Art to the People

Creative Waco, in partnership with the City of Waco and a St. Paul-based nonprofit called Forecast Public Art, is creating a new Public Art Strategic Plan for Waco, and they want you to get involved….

Including the public in the decision-making process for public art and creative placemaking is a cornerstone of the work Mark Salinas does with Forecast Public Art. …

“We have contracted with Forecast Public Art, a public arts advocacy nonprofit in St. Paul, and we are really interested in their focus on the intersectionality of public art with all aspects of engagement like community development and health care and all the different ways it can be supported and brought to fruition. … Forecast… is helping us create a roadmap for public art.”

Amanda Dyerdirector of public art and development, Creative Waco–quoted by Waco Insider

“Community engagement is really, really important, because we want to make sure that everyone’s voice is heard. This is a way to showcase Waco’s story through public art and show the characteristics, voices, cultures, and history of our community. And we want to be able to have all those diverse voices included in public art.”

Amanda Dyerdirector of public art and development, Creative Waco–quoted by Waco Insider

“I think that public art programming must serve the public at large. We’re always sharing stories about how art intersects all aspects of daily living, how it can support health in the community, social justice, and also how it can affect every department of city hall: transportation, libraries, senior services, parks and recreation. We see art as a powerful tool for engagement with the public.”

Mark Salinassenior project manager, Forecast–quoted by Waco Insider

“Through my work with Creative Waco and Forecast, I’m hoping to add this kind of work to my portfolio and potentially help other organizations or businesses bring their work to life. It’s a way for me to bring my comic and graphic novel skills to the business space.”

Raj Solankilocal Waco graphic artist, member of Forecast’s Waco team–quoted by Waco Insider

“Raj is helping to visualize the process. It’s really difficult to put what we do into a photo. No one wants to see photos of people sitting around and talking. Raj has incredible talent, and he is attending our meetings and events and illustrating the topics that we’re discussing. It’s a great snapshot to invite people to the content of our discussions, and his work will be included in our final report.”

Mark Salinassenior project manager, Forecast–quoted by Waco Insider

“This process really matters, because we get to be the generation that defines how Waco looks and feels for hundreds of years. (Rome is still defined by its public art from 2,000 years ago!) Look at any city across the world; its character, values, pride, vibrancy, and even how invitational and engaging it feels—all that is shaped by public art and creative placemaking. We want Waco to look and feel inspiring and inviting to all. To do that well, we need the input of our whole community.”

Fiona Bondexecutive director, Creative Waco–quoted by Waco Insider

Rendering courtesy Jackson Jarvis Studio_OLIN + OMA

A rendering depicts large colorful hoops of varying size, up to two or three times the height of a person, that are spaced throughout a grassy tree-filled park filled with people who are relaxing and playing.

June 23, 2022

Popville

Public Art commissions Selected for 11th Street Bridge Park—Four local DC-area, all-women artist teams to create art pieces tied to park’s design principles and values

Jesús Li, MCAD MFA ’23

a BIPOC MFA student with short bleached hair and a dark mustach wears red-rimmed glasses and a red tshirt in a studio or classroom with art on the wall behind them

July 13, 2022

Minneapolis College of Art and Design

Jesus Li ’23 Completes Forecast Public Art Fellowship for Designers/ Illustrators

This past spring, Jesus Li ’23 participated in our Launch Program with Forecast Public Art as a funded design/illustration fellow. Forecast Public Art is a nonprofit organization that activates, inspires, and advocates for public art that advances justice, health, and human dignity.

“Beyond the experience gained as a designer, doing this fellowship allowed me to know how a non-profit organization works in an artistic context—likewise, the value of creating conversation spaces, physical or virtual, with informative or revolutionary purposes.”

Jesus LiMCAD Launch Program Fellow for Designers/Illustrators–quoted in MCAD MFA interview

Ryan Mcfee and Jeff St. Pierre created a new mural adjacent to Custom House Square reflecting the impact of COVID19. Photo: New Bedford Creative.

March 7, 2022

New Bedford Guide

New Bedford selected for New England Foundation for the Arts’ Making it Public

New Bedford Creative continues to place the City of New Bedford into the arts and culture spotlight. The city has been selected as one of eight municipalities in Massachusetts for “Making it Public,” a training and development program by New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) in partnership with Forecast Public Art and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council. ….

“Making It Public offers a cohesive arts industry workshop approach for artists and municipal arts administrators that informs and enhances the efforts and outcomes of public art opportunities in their communities.”

Mark SalinasSenior Project Manager at Forecast–quoted in New Bedford Guide

February 21, 2022

WUSA9

Mother-daughter artists commissioned for 11th Street Bridge Park artwork

Artwork by Martha Jackson Jarvis and Njena Surae Jarvis was selected for a $400,000 commission.

The selection process for all five commissions is led by Forecast Public Art in collaboration with D.C.-based artist Irfana Jetha Noorani.

“The 11th Street Bridge Park is a community-imagined space and it was important that the art and artists selected for our largest commissioned piece be reflective of this community. We’re ecstatic to see Jackson Jarvis Studio’s vision for ‘Anacostia’s Sunrise/Sunset Portals’ come to life and bring a welcoming energy to the park’s eastern entrance while helping expand equitable access to art East of the River.”

Scott KratzSenior Vice President at Building Bridges Across the River–quoted by WUSA9

A rendering CaCo Architecture presented to Waco City Council shows renovation plans for Waco Regional Airport terminal. Creative Waco is accepting artists’ proposals for 4 public art pieces, including a backdrop aimed at framing visitor impressions. Creative Waco.

February 10, 2022

Waco Tribune-Herald

Waco airport plans show city attention to public art

To coordinate, encourage and inform public art in the future, city officials, arts organizers and consulting firm Forecast Public Art are working on a strategic arts plan, or art master plan, for Waco. A $50,000 National Endowment for the Arts grant is underwriting the work, which will call for community input this spring and a final plan for city council consideration by summer’s end….

Brooklyn Center’s street banner project featured photos of city residents. Through the plan, the city aims to recreate a sense of its identity and public image, increase community pride and improve the city’s aesthetic. Sun Post file photo by Kevin Miller.

November 2, 2021

Sun Post

Brooklyn Center approves beautification and public art master plan

The Brooklyn Center City Council approved the city’s beautification and public art master plan Oct. 25, moving ahead with a concept that’s been in development since 2019. Through the plan, the city aims to recreate a sense of the city’s identity and public image, increase community pride and improve the city’s overall aesthetics. ….Forecast Public Art contracted with the city to develop the plan.

“The plan calls for intentionality in addressing racism, reducing inequalities, and eliminating disparities. “Projects such as the street banners, the Everybody Counts campaign, the painted murals at Snow Many Traditions, the boards along Humboldt and the recent unveiling of artwork at (the Brooklyn Center Transit Center) have served as a visual language raising awareness about these issues.”

Janelle Crossfieldrecreation supervisor–quoted in Sun Post

credit: Drew Arrieta / Forecast Public Art

A grid of three portraits of BIPOC artists in front of colorful murals and a city skyline

November 1, 2021

Gov Delivery, Hennepin County

Local artists will showcase their work in upcoming digital Hennepin Gallery exhibit

‘Make Space’ will feature artwork from Kprecia Ambers, Philipo Dyauli and Connor Rice

Forecast Public Art and Hennepin County will host an online gallery exhibit highlighting the work of Twin Cities artists Kprecia Ambers, Philipo Dyauli and Connor Rice.

An architect’s rendering of the new Juxtaposition Arts campus.
4RM+ULA Architects

September 17, 2021

Minn Post

JXTA breaks ground on its new campus

…In August, Forecast Public Art announced that it will donate its vast public art library – over 2,000 print, digital and multimedia materials – to JXTA, where it will become part of the new facility and a valuable resource for youth, staff, alumni and the broader community.

The Larry Cohen Plaza on the Southeast corner of the St. Paul City Hall block was unveiled today, Saturday. Sept. 18, 2021. John Autey / Pioneer Press.

September 17, 2021

Pioneer Press
Yahoo! News (reprint)

New St. Paul City Hall plaza, seating area erected in memory of Judge Larry Cohen

…City and county officials will join organizers with Forecast Public Art on Saturday to unveil the Larry Cohen Recognition Project. The event will run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. outside City Hall at 15 W. Kellogg Boulevard. Designed by artist Marjorie Pitz, the $425,000 plaza in the southeast corner of City Hall is intended to serve as a welcoming place where visitors can learn about the city’s immigrant history.

The Public Art Library as shown in its former location at Forecast’s Saint Paul office in 2019.

Shelves of library books are illuminated by a window to the side and in-shelf lighting above. A large potted plant rests to the side, among other decor.

August 13, 2021

Juxtaposition Arts

Forecast Public Art donates their Public Art Library to JXTA

Last year, as Forecast Public Art adopted a new mission and moved to be a more flexible, remote organization, they connected with JXTA leadership to coordinate the donation of their internationally-recognized public art library to live in our soon-to-be upgraded headquarters and campus. … Thank you to Forecast for this gift. We will treasure it for many years to come on our new campus.

“Our vision for the campus includes a library and archive, with resources that youth, staff, alumni and the broader community can draw inspiration and learning from. Forecast’s incredible collection of public art books will be a focal point of this library and an invaluable resource for our students and the community.”

Roger CummingsJXTA Chief Cultural Producer and Co-Founder–quoted in JXTA blog post

The MARTA HOPE team office can be reached at martahope@itsmarta.com, 404-848-5309, or 404-848-6300.
This is sponsored content.

the street to home portraits are displayed in the transit station

August 9, 2021

SaportaReport

MARTA Showcases Creative Effort to Address Homelessness

“Street to Home” Project by Atlanta Artist & Social Worker Installed at Five Points Station

…The artwork was funded by the Kresge Foundation and supported by Forecast Public Art and Smart Growth America (SGA), an organization that advocates for sustainable transportation and livable communities. Working through Artbound, MARTA was a recipient of SGA’s Arts & Transportation Rapid Response grant for transportation agencies looking to creatively and quickly address pandemic-related transportation challenges.

Genie Tran ’22

a young Asian womxn in a denim jumper and pink tshirt leans against a window railing with arms wide smiling at the viewer

July 9, 2021

Minneapolis College of Art and Design

Genie Tran ’22 Completes Forecast Public Art Fellowship for Designers/ Illustrators

This past spring, Genie Tran ’22 participated in our first ever Launch Program with Forecast Public Art as a funded design/illustration fellow. Forecast Public Art is a nonprofit organization that activates, inspires, and advocates for public art that advances justice, health, and human dignity.

“Most importantly, Forecast leads with compassion. I feel the passion they have for the work they create, for each other and it’s something I think is important for me to carry on to my current practice and future work.”

Genie TranMCAD Launch Program Fellow for Designers/Illustrators–quoted in MCAD MFA interview

a woman reaches up to touch a curving series of vertically installed colorful pipes curl into a helix design that is sited in a setting with palm trees

June 30, 2021

Globe Newswire

Codina Partners and City of Doral Debut LUX Doral: A Large-Scale, Immersive Art Initiative in Downtown Doral

Codina Partners, in conjunction with the City of Doral, is launching LUX Doral, a comprehensive, interactive arts program that will feature the work of leading digital, sculpture, lighting, and performance artists in Downtown Doral, Miami’s premier town center. …Helix and Andante were facilitated by Forecast Public Art, one of the country’s first nonprofit organizations dedicated to advancing the field of public art. Founded in 1978 and based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Forecast is invested in public art that plays a crucial role in creating a sense of belonging and supporting people to realize their potential, and live healthy lives.

“We are grateful for the tremendous team who helped us bring our vision to life, including Martin Posta, Forecast Public Art and the DeVos Institute of Arts Management at the University of Maryland, in addition to the City of Doral.”

Ana-Marie Codina BarlickCEO of Codina Partners, the developers of Downtown Doral–quoted in Globe Newswire

“Respect the Space” by Janel Young. CP photo: Amanda Waltz.

a long stretch of road in front of a bus stop is painted colorfully with the words Respect the Space and a variety of icons

June 25, 2021

Pittsburgh City Paper

Downtown Pittsburgh bus stop reopens with “Respect the Space” art installation by Janel Young

A new art installation is bringing color and life to a bustling bus stop at Smithfield Street and Sixth Ave in Downtown Pittsburgh

Janel Young, a Pittsburgh native now serving as the Community Artist in Residence at UrbanKind Institute in Pittsburgh, completed “Respect the Space,” a public artwork done in conjunction with the Port Authority, Smart Growth America, and Forecast Public Art.

Marlena Myles

a womxn with dark short hair, red-rimmed glasses and a bright sweater stands in front of a floral patterned wall, gazing at the viewer

June 2, 2021

Community Reporter

Art for a Better Future: Marlena Myles

A digital exhibition recently hosted by St. Paul-based Forecast Public Art in collaboration with the Hennepin County Multicultural Arts Committee brought together work by two locally based artists who use innovative forms to speak to social and environmental issues. (View the digital exhibition) The Community Reporter sat down with each of them to discuss how they approach their work and craft pieces that speak to the challenges of our time.

“The underlying principle of everything I make is to educate people on Dakota stories that they may not have learned in school. That mentality informs the process and it is one of the reasons that much of my work is grounded in historical events.”

Marlena Mylesartist–quoted in Community Reporter

Mayumi Amada

a womxn with dark short hair wearing a white sleeveless dress stands off to the side of a large intricately cut paper artwork hung on the wall

June 2, 2021

Community Reporter

Art for a Better Future: Mayumi Amada

A digital exhibition recently hosted by St. Paul-based Forecast Public Art in collaboration with the Hennepin County Multicultural Arts Committee brought together work by two locally based artists who use innovative forms to speak to social and environmental issues. (View the digital exhibition) The Community Reporter sat down with each of them to discuss how they approach their work and craft pieces that speak to the challenges of our time.

“In contemporary society, mass production and mass consumption are the ways to sustain capitalism. Because of that, an enormous amount of still-usable and useful materials are poured into landfills every day. It’s a waste of resources and those materials end up contaminating nature. I aim to spotlight the usefulness of materials that are thought of as waste.”

Mayumi Amadaartist–quoted in Community Reporter

Mark Salinas

a man wearing a suit and cowboy boot pin smiles at the viewer

March 10, 2021

KTNV Las Vegas

Clark County to offer ‘Full Scope,’ a free public art workshop series

…guest speaker Mark “Steel Wool” Salinas will share his experience with public art followed by a one-hour question and answer period. Mark will be presenting with colleague Jen Krava, from Forecast Public Art, about the administrative process of Smart Growth America’s Art and Transportation Rapid Response.

A rendering of Kipp Kobayashi’s “On Growth and Form,” a public art project to be installed on East Fourth Street in 2020. Image: City of Reno.

a rendering illustrates large tree-like sculptures installed to cover the upright supports of a bridge overpass

February 25, 2021

This Is Reno

Public art installation for E. 4th Street approved

…Kobayashi was selected by the Reno Arts & Culture Commission after a 1 1/2-year public process that included community engagement sessions with help from the non-profit organization Forecast Public Art, said Megan Berner, city public art coordinator.

“Art is the opportunity to connect people where we live and I really like the art that was selected here because it does have some historical tie. But it also honors a nature aesthetic in a very industrial area so it’s kind of a cool interplay.”

Devon ReeseCouncilman–quoted in This Is Reno

Top row left to right: Claudia Valentino; Thomasina Topbear; Geno Okok; Shanai Matteson; Holly (Miskitoos) Henning. Middle row: Alyssa Baguss; Saymoukda Duangphouxay Vongsay; Wil Natzel; Taylan De Johnette; Khadijah M. Bottom row: Miré Regulus; Lacey Prpić Hedtke; Molly Van Avery; Erin Paradis; Meena Mangalvedhekar.

January 13, 2021

MinnPost

Support for artists from Forecast Public Art and the Cedar

Forecast Public Art, a nonprofit based in St. Paul that works both locally and nationally, has announced $86,000 in grants to public artists in Minnesota and a new focus on justice in public art.

“We need artists now, more than ever. As an artist, the act of creation is a constant and evolving reimagining and it is that radical imagining that will bring about justice and rediscover joy.”

Theresa SweetlandExecutive Director, Forecast Public Art–from a statement titled “Deepening our commitment to be part of the change,” quoted in MinnPost

Top row left to right: Claudia Valentino; Thomasina Topbear; Geno Okok; Shanai Matteson; Holly (Miskitoos) Henning. Middle row: Alyssa Baguss; Saymoukda Duangphouxay Vongsay; Wil Natzel; Taylan De Johnette; Khadijah M. Bottom row: Miré Regulus; Lacey Prpić Hedtke; Molly Van Avery; Erin Paradis; Meena Mangalvedhekar.

January 8, 2021

Twin Cities Arts Reader

NEWS: Forecast Public Art’s 2021 Grant Recipients

St. Paul-based Forecast Public Art announced today the recipients of its 2021 early- and mid-career artist grants. A total of $86,000 has been distributed to support 15 artists working on 13 separate projects, leadership and professional development activities, risk-taking, multidisciplinary approaches, and collaborative problem solving in the field of public art.

“The most beautiful thing about working in the arts is that I am always surrounded by people whose actual job it is to imagine the unimaginable.”

Theresa SweetlandExecutive Director, Forecast Public Art–quoted in Twin Cities Arts Reader

November 13, 2020

UNLV News

Notable: Ashley Hairston Doughty

Ashley Hairston Doughty (Art), along with public art consultant Mark Salinas, worked with the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) to design signage that would effectively educate the public about social distancing and safe transit riding practices at their main transit hub, the Bonneville Transit Center.

Anola Amundson (left) and Zara RaMona Hahn (right) walk along the animal print path laid down in chalk spray paint by WCI.

two masked children play against a colorful paved background

October 20, 2020

Fergus Falls Journal

Fun, safe transportation: Artist creatives active transportation toolkit for WCI

…WCI applied for the Smart Growth America, Arts and Transportation Rapid Response initiative and were the only rural project chosen out of the five finalists. The other projects are in San Francisco, Oakland, Las Vegas and Detroit. Naomi Schliesman was chosen by Forecast Public Art to work with WCI on their project.

“Primarily our goal is to better connect with kids, parents and community members for our Safe Routes to School project, making walking and biking around their community safer, more enjoyable. We really wanted to engage the community in a fun way to promote walking and biking in general, and more specifically around the school building and as a part of their everyday life.”

Jill AmundsonAssociate Planner, WCI–quoted in Fergus Falls Journal

Bird Enterprise Zone by Beatrix*Jar, was created during the 2020 CEZ Summer Mural Project. Courtesy the Creative Enterprise Zone

a colorful mural depicts two cartoon birds looking at one another against a graphically stylized background

October 1, 2020

Minn Post

New murals in St. Paul’s Creative Enterprise Zone

…The murals were supported by the Knight Foundation and the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, in-kind partners and private partnerships. They were created during the 2020 CEZ Summer Mural Project, a way to help local artists and businesses affected by the pandemic. Artists were selected with help from Forecast Public Art.

September 24, 2020

SF Gate

Artist’s Mask-Themed Work To Be Displayed In Bart Trains, At Pop-Up Event Thursday

…Stimage’s project is produced by Smart Growth America with Forecast Public Art, and funded by the Kresge Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.

“A lot of people have not been able to be social in the same ways they were before the pandemic. I thought art postcards could support the U.S. Postal Service and also help people to connect with others.”

Tosha StimageBerkeley-based artist–quoted in SF Gate

Urban Flower Field in Pedro Park, St. Paul, MN, brings together a spiraling set of 96 flower plots, a 4-story spiral mural, and a patio with chairs for gathering. It is a project of Public Art Saint Paul, created by Amanda Lovelee. Photo by Michel Curi CC BY 2.0 / Flickr.

a wooden sign reading Urban Flower Field sits in the center of a city plot flower garden against the background of a swirling mural on a brick wall

March 29, 2019

American Planning Association

A New Planning Partnership Brings Art to Public Spaces

…Forecast Public Art is collaborating with APA to identify and address knowledge gaps at the intersection of public art and planning practice, thanks to generous funding provided by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation.

Forecast worked with Augsburg University to integrate art into the new Hagfors Center for Science, Business and Religion. Andrea Stanislav’s “Ascend” used the windows as a canvas, overlaying Martin Luther’s handwritten version of “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” with the cell structure of an American elm tree. Courtesy Augsburg University.

intricate musical markings cover a vast window in a large university building

December 5, 2018

MPR News

Listen

Forecast Public Art looks back on 40 years of creativity

…Forecast is marking its 40th anniversary. It still works in the background, matching artists with projects. … Now Forecast works with communities across the country. Becker runs the consulting arm of the business; meanwhile, Theresa Sweetland has succeeded him as executive director. Sweetland said public art is no longer simply about putting art in a public space. Increasingly, the conversation around public art has become focused on equity and reflecting the community. Whose stories are being told?

“How does it feel every day to walk into your town square as a person of color or Indigenous person and see Confederate monuments? Or monuments that tell a story of violence against you and your communities? That is not a healthy environment.”

Theresa SweetlandExecutive Director, Forecast Public Art–quoted in MPR. Sweetland says increasingly her organization is wrestling with issues of access and representation in public art.

Forecast Public Art supported “Wishes for the Sky,” which started in 2007. Photo courtesy Forecast Public Art.

one young child reaches upward in a whimsical space among other children playing in a grassy playground

October 30, 2018

Pioneer Press

Forecast Public Art celebrates 40 years of art on streets, buses, lawns, buildings

…Forecast knows a thing or 40 about public art. The organization is celebrating 40 years this weekend of connecting artists and their work to public spaces. Sweetland, who started with Forecast two years ago after working for 17 years at Intermedia Arts in Minneapolis and for Minnesota Museum of American Art in 2016, says the organization was started by “a group of artists who wanted to create work in public spaces.”

“When you are in a public space, in a park, walking on the sidewalk and you see a painting on a wall, a sculpture, even a performance, that’s public art.”

Theresa SweetlandExecutive Director, Forecast Public Art–quoted in Pioneer Press

Former Harlan County high school student Emily Eldridge stood in front of the mural recently completed in Cumberland on the side of Buff’s Bows and Gifts. Volunteers spent several days and used quite a bit of paint to complete the project. Photo by Nikki Creech.

a young person stands in front of an incredibly detailed exterior wall mural covering the entire side of a building, that depicts various local flora and fauna

September 4, 2018

Harlan Enterprise

Cumberland mural a community effort

…The training was provided by local artists, plus artists from Goodspace Murals and Forecast Public Art in Minnesota. The artists collaborated with local participants during a workshop that taught those who volunteered how to paint murals.

“…we invited 50 artists and community leaders from the central Appalachian region to create the mural. This was a long, exhausting, amazing process, and I wouldn’t change a minute of it. I find myself driving through town instead of the bypass on my way to work just to start off my day with a glance of that beautiful mural.”

Alexia Aultproject coordinator for the Southeast Kentucky Revitalization Project–quoted in Harlan Enterprise

Nancy Blum’s artwork titled ‘(Im)migration’ at West Bank station on the Green Line features steel birds that reflect the immigrant groups that have established themselves in the area. Photo: Shari L. Gross.

a an art installation of a bird silhouette soars on a glass window in a transit station while a person walks down nearby steps

April 10, 2018

Star Tribune

For transit stations, public art brings both beauty and budgetary concerns

Public art at transit stations brings beauty, budgetary concerns

…But art on station platforms for the planned Southwest and Bottineau light-rail lines has been cut due to funding constraints and federal cutbacks for such work. While art is planned by cities near both lines, the platforms themselves will appear fairly utilitarian. Jack Becker, director of consulting and creative services at the St. Paul-based nonprofit organization Forecast Public Art, thinks that’s a mistake. “Beautification is part of it, but [public art] can go beyond that,” he said. “What’s the story of this place? How can it be told through art?”

“If you’re stressed out and waiting for a train, if you’ve had a bad day, how can you change that psychology to take your mind off it for a few minutes?”

Jack Beckerfounder, Forecast Public Art–quoted in Star Tribune

a strawberry blond woman speaks into a microphone by a podium on stage while a map illuminates the projection screen behind her

March 15, 2018

Art Africa

ART AFRICA interviews Theresa Sweetland from Forecast Public Art

FORECAST PUBLIC ARTS AT THE FORE OF SUPPORTING PUBLIC ARTS PROJECTS

ART AFRICA spoke to Theresa Sweetland, Executive Director of the non-profit organisation Forecast Public Arts based in St Paul, Minnesota, which will be at UNFOLD Art XChange 2018. UNFOLD Art XChange, running from the 19th to 22nd of March to coincide with Dubai Art Week, joins the worlds of art, architecture, and culture for the purpose of networking and knowledge-sharing for a number of stakeholders, among them financial institutions, government authorities, spatial designers, and public art agencies. Forecast Public Arts is one of such public art agencies that does fascinating and continuously progressive work in marrying the visions of artists for their communities to tangible public arts opportunities.

“Why do people need help with this work? Because making meaningful and transformational public art and authentic community places is very challenging!”

Theresa SweetlandExecutive Director, Forecast Public Art–quoted in ART AFRICA

Our team works in communities across the country and globe. These are the US locations where we have been on the ground—meeting with stakeholders and partnering with communities to meet their public art and engagement needs—and our list is growing by the day.

FORECAST IN THE NEWS

Our team is busy and news outlets nationwide notice. Below are a few stories about projects we are working on or supporting, as told by others.

January 27, 2023

Alameda Sun

December 2, 2022

MPR News

All Things Considered [Listen]

An immersive collection of stories on finding home and belonging

August 27, 2022

Star Tribune

A thriving Black population lived in Hastings beginning in the 1850s, history many residents may not know.

August 26, 2022

WCCO – CBS Minnesota

July 27, 2022

East Bay Times

Alameda Briefs [Citizens encouraged to share feedback about public art]

July 6, 2022

Waco Insider

June 23, 2022

Popville

July 13, 2022

Minneapolis College of Art and Design

March 7, 2022

New Bedford Guide

February 21, 2022

WUSA9

Artwork by Martha Jackson Jarvis and Njena Surae Jarvis was selected for a $400,000 commission.

February 10, 2022

Waco Tribune-Herald

November 2, 2021

Sun Post

November 1, 2021

Gov Delivery, Hennepin County

‘Make Space’ will feature artwork from Kprecia Ambers, Philipo Dyauli and Connor Rice

September 17, 2021

Minn Post

September 17, 2021

Pioneer Press Yahoo! News (reprint)

August 13, 2021

Juxtaposition Arts

August 9, 2021

SaportaReport

“Street to Home” Project by Atlanta Artist & Social Worker Installed at Five Points Station

July 9, 2021

Minneapolis College of Art and Design

June 30, 2021

Globe Newswire

June 25, 2021

Pittsburgh City Paper

A new art installation is bringing color and life to a bustling bus stop at Smithfield Street and Sixth Ave in Downtown Pittsburgh

June 2, 2021

Community Reporter

June 2, 2021

Community Reporter

March 10, 2021

KTNV Las Vegas

February 25, 2021

This Is Reno

January 13, 2021

MinnPost

January 8, 2021

Twin Cities Arts Reader

November 13, 2020

UNLV News

October 20, 2020

Fergus Falls Journal

October 1, 2020

Minn Post

September 24, 2020

SF Gate

March 29, 2019

American Planning Association

December 5, 2018

Pioneer Press
Yahoo! News (reprint)