Murals and Public Art: Part 2

SEMCOG University Workshop – Murals and Public Art

On July 21, 2026, SEMCOG held a SEMCOG University workshop about the role that murals and other art-based projects in the placemaking and placekeeping process. Speakers in the workshop included staff and officials from the City of Detroit, City of Brighton, West Bloomfield Parks, and Giffels Webster, who each spoke to how their communities and organizations engage with public art and the creative economy in different ways.

• SEMCOG provided an overview of the topic as well as different resources available through federal and State agencies. These include the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), as well as nonprofit and philanthropic organizations, such as the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, Detroit Institute of Arts, Main Street America, and the University of Michigan.
• Bethany Howard, MCD, City Walls Program Manager, City of Detroit, shared how public art has played a role in the transformation of Detroit. Once a focused approach under the Blight Abatement Artist Residency Program (BAARP), public art and murals remain a pivotal placemaking and economic development tool, now formalized under the UnMuraled Initiative. The City has invested over $1 million into the local arts community, which continues to thrive and enliven corridors, pathways, and public spaces across Detroit.

• Jill Bahm, AICP, Partner at Giffels Webster, discussed how communities can incorporate public art into Comprehensive Plans and zoning regulations. Planning and zoning for public art recognizes its importance, formalizes the process for identifying potential installation locations, and provides a strong legal backing for effectively permitting and regulating public art. Codifying public art into Master Plans and Zoning Ordinances also provides clear avenues for public-private partnerships, particularly where tax increment financing (TIF) revenues can support public art within Downtown Development Authorities, Corridor Improvement Authorities, and similar TIF districts.
• Gretchen Gomolka, CPA, City Manager, Brighton and Jeri Kay Thomas, Arts and Culture Council Chair, Brighton showcased many of the public art success stories across Brighton. Many of these pieces are incorporated into the Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit, with sculptures located in and around the downtown area. Gomolka and Thomas also discussed the importance of leveraging existing governmental, institutional, and business resources, like using the City of Brighton Arts Culture and History Center (CoBACH) for art and event programing and encouraging downtown merchants to put up window and sign art.
  • View a copy of the Brighton Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit
• Kelly Hyer, Executive Director, West Bloomfield Parks, presented the work that WB Parks has undertaken to create and install public art in the Township’s park system. Hyer shared about programs that highlight the role of other agencies and organizations in the public art space, such as parks and public works. Moreover, the presentation demonstrated how communities that do not have a traditional dense downtown, including townships and suburban cities across the region, can still create and maintain quality places through the use of creative public art, signage, and facility design.

View the full SEMCOG University Presentation

Following the presentations, Bethany Howard, MCD and Elonte Davis with City Walls led a tour on-foot and aboard the Detroit People Mover, showcasing the many murals and sculptures dotted across Downtown Detroit. Those interested in taking the tour themselves can use the City Walls x People Mover Mural Tour document to help find their way.

Where to get started

Many communities may commission artworks directly, but a popular approach is working with your DDA, arts council, or other boards or authorities to host a mural competition. Designating spaces for artistic expression, both official and unofficial, brings residents and people outside of the community together to celebrate the identity, appearance, and role that downtowns and corridors play both for economic prosperity and cultural impact.

The presentations points to many resources and contacts that can help you and your prospective artists to get started. Funding is frequently available through government organizations such as the NEA and MEDC, but municipalities, nonprofits, and philanthropic organizations may also have programs available.

I also encourage you to check out some of SEMCOG’s resources as we continue to work with our member communities on placemaking and downtown development initiatives. Feel free to review our Main Street Handbook and Main Street Checklist, which both strongly incorporate design and public art as best practices and methods for growing, celebrating, and maintaining your places and spaces!

If you have any questions about murals, placemaking and placekeeping, downtown economic development, or would like to know more about how SEMCOG engages in these spaces, please contact me!

Contact Noah Bussell