Waukee is getting funding for its first public artwork under a new plan to bring color to the city

Waukee has received a grant for the city’s first public art project since the approval of a public art master plan last year.

City officials want to use the plan to guide the development of Waukee’s artistic cultural identity, including adding some colorful features to the city’s major thoroughfares. The first public art project under the plan – a stretch at Tallgrass Pond along Grand Prairie Parkway called “Walk in the Park” – has not yet been contracted with an artist.

But city spokesperson Heather Behrens said who the artist will be and more details about the project will be announced soon with a likely installation in spring 2025. Behrens told the Des Moines Register earlier in 2024 that the city heard presentations from three artists.

Des Moines artist Bethany Hiatt works on a highly detailed painting while working at her booth during the Waukee Art Festival on Saturday, July 17, 2021 at Centennial Park in Waukee.

Des Moines artist Bethany Hiatt works on a highly detailed painting at her booth during the Waukee Art Festival on Saturday, July 17, 2021 at Centennial Park in Waukee. — Des Moines artist Bethany Hiatt works on a highly detailed painting while working at her booth during the Waukee Art Festival on Saturday, July 17, 2021 at Centennial Park in Waukee.

Waukee has received a $50,000 grant for the project from Bravo Greater Des Moines, the region’s nonprofit arts council. Members of the Waukee City Council approved receipt of the grant on June 17.

The city adopted its first public art master plan in November 2023.

“For many people, murals and statues are the first things they think of when they hear ‘public art,’ but it actually encompasses a much richer and more diverse range of possibilities,” Assistant City Manager Nick Osborne said in a news release at the time . “The master planning process has really expanded our understanding of what public art could be and the many benefits it can have for our community.”

Mayor Courtney Clarke said in the release, “Artists can help highlight different perspectives on culture and community character. We want to leverage that to encourage community connection and help Waukee stand out.”

Other artistic opportunities for Waukee mentioned in the plan include:

Interactive experiences on the city’s routes.
Colorful features on Hickman Road, University Avenue, Alice’s Road/Grand Prairie Parkway or Douglas Parkway.
Art in rainwater facilities, such as detention ponds, or perhaps designing new rainwater facilities yourself as works of art.
An interactive sculpture park.
Developing distinct identities for Waukee’s neighborhoods.

Phillip Sitter covers the western suburbs for the Des Moines Register. Phillip can be reached via email at [email protected] or on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @pslifeisabeauty.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Waukee gets funding for first public artwork under new plan