Public Art

The Town of Normal recognizes the benefits that come with celebrating visual arts, performing arts, music, film and more. The Town uses an intentional approach to public art in the form of a Public Art Master Plan, with the goal of enhancing and leveraging the benefits of art, especially in illustrating a community’s identity.

What is art?

The Town of Normal believes public art creates beauty, connects audiences and publicly illustrates our identity. The Arts attract tens of thousands of people to Normal each year, making it a key factor in quality of life and economic vitality for our community.

Cultural Arts are an important and fundamental component of a healthy and inclusive society, inspiring many communities to make room for public art and programming throughout their budgets and planning documents. That is the case for the Town of Normal which annually funds programming via its Cultural Arts Department, the Parks and Recreation Department and multiple venues and facilities that engage performing arts, lifelong learning and film.

Public art installations create beauty, connect audiences and illustrate the community's identity and visionfor the future.

Local initiatives

The Town of Normal:

• fosters community partnerships to build efficient and mutually beneficial events for artists, performers and the public (e.g., the Sugar Creek Arts Festival, Make Music Normal and the Sweet Corn Circus).
• proudly displays more than $145,000 of artwork from local artists in Uptown Station. 
• funds the Harmon Arts Program; since 1993, providing grants to a variety of local arts and culture organizations.

Public Art Working Group

(updated September 2025)

• Adam Fox, Civic Arts Manager, Town of Normal
• AJ Westley, Student, Illinois State University; Intern, McLean County Art Center and McLean County Museum of History
• Archana Shekara, Illinois State University, Professor of Graphic Design, Design Streak Studio
• Beth Whisman, Cultural Arts Director, Town of Normal
• Bob Broad, art patron, English professor, Illinois State University
• Brian Plath, business owner, patron of the arts
• Dave Bentlin, Illinois State University retiree, Prairie Pride Coalition President
• Dave Park, artist and patron of the arts
• Denise Higgs, Illinois Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Children’s School alumnus
• Doug Damery, Parks and Recreation Director, Town of Normal
• Doug Johnson, McLean County Arts Center Executive Director; Arts Alliance Illinois Board
• Ezekiel Mendez, student, Heartland Community College
• Gary Justis, independent artist in sculpture, drawing, printmaking and ceramics
• Jack Ritter, sculptor and visual arts patron
• Kari Sandhaas, artist; board member of Ecology Action Center and Autism McLean
• Leah Rainey, communications professional
• Nicole Learned, Illinois Art Station Manager
• Patsy Webber, fine arts patron
• Richa Shukla; student, Columbia University (University High School graduate)
• Rick Lewis, painter; retired Illinois State University Associate Dean of Students
• Sarah Smelser, Harold Boyd Endowed Professor, Certified Search Advocate, Illinois State University Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts
• Tessa Ferraro, Planning & Zoning Planner, Town of Normal

Shown below: The Compass Rose artwork depicted on the first floor of Uptown Station. This image captures the identity and history of our community.