Merced’s plans to expand arts scene may include new downtown district
Merced’s arts and culture scene could be on the precipice of a renaissance — one that may have official backing from the city.
Colton Dennis, chair of the Arts and Culture Advisory Commission, gave a report to Merced City Council on Tuesday, following the commission’s first year as an advisory body.
And big things are coming to Merced, Dennis says.
For example the commission — which informs the City Council on all things related to arts and culture — will soon develop a formal public art policy. That will include an application process for artists interested in pitching projects to the city.
“It says a lot about our city and our City Council that they’re interested in the arts,” Dennis said. “A lot of times people think of it as something extra.”
A glimpse at the future
The commission is looking to foster a burgeoning arts and culture scene that keeps pace with the growth Merced has seen in recent years.
“As we grow, we have more possibilities of making Merced unique, and the arts is the best way to do that,” Dennis said.
One way to showcase the city’s distinct artistic and cultural flavor is to establish an arts and culture district — likely in downtown Merced.
Downtown’s West Main Street is already home to longtime community pillars of the arts like the Merced Multicultural Arts Center and Playhouse Merced.
These local gems, plus incoming new businesses, make downtown a natural fit as an arts and culture district, Dennis said. Plus, the revamping of Tioga Hotel and El Capitan Hotel is expected to help beautify downtown.
The arts district would likely stretch from the Mainzer Theater to the Art Kamangar Center, including side streets like Canal Street, where art studios currently reside.
Nearby empty lots offer open space for concerts, food trucks, gatherings and other events, Dennis said. He intends to discuss their use with the city.
Dennis said the district could also feature multicultural restaurants, as well as cultural centers. He noted that the Lao Association is searching for a location.
The Arts and Culture Advisory Commission will seek input from Merced’s cultural groups in determining what the arts and culture district will look like.
“We’ve got the skeletal footprint,” Dennis said. But logistical details like parking, coordination with the city and further outreach must still be hammered out.
A better picture of the Merced arts and culture district should appear by the end of this year, Dennis said. Funding opportunities to make the district a reality would hopefully be secured the year after.
Additional funding possibilities specific to an arts and culture district would become available once its established.
“There’s so many possibilities right now,” Dennis said. “That’s what so exciting about this time — being a part of what we’re going to eventually become.”
Recent and coming successes
Over the past year, the commission sought to revitalize local bastions of artistic pride that have deteriorated. Mosaics and murals around the city that were dirtied with grime and faded from sunshine have been cleaned and brightened.
The shabby-looking Merced Open Air Theater (MOAT) in Applegate park will be restored and upgraded by this summer’s concert series. The 10 weeks of performances will highlight local bands, which residents will be able to help determine through public input.
The renovated theater will include a “Starry Night”-inspired mural painted by local artist Monika Modest, paying tribute to homeless people who died in Merced.
As arts and culture blooms, Mercedians this spring can expect a comprehensive and collaborative online community calendar. Residents may upload their own events, offering a centralized look at Merced’s day-to-day happenings rather than scattered over a multitude of websites and event pages.
“One of the biggest requests we have had from our community is to have one place where people can see what’s happening here in Merced, because there’s a lot happening in Merced,” Dennis said.
Also on the commission’s agenda is creating a mobile version of the recently launched public art inventory, which maps more than 40 murals, mosaics and sculptures around the city.
Efforts are being made to integrate community art into the redeveloped historic Hotel Tioga and El Capitan Hotel in downtown Merced. Iconic attractions such as these would exhibit Merced’s artistic talent to visitors touring the city’s staple sights, Dennis said.
“We’re a gateway to Yosemite, but we’re more than that,” Dennis said. “We’re too something that you stop and notice.”
This story was originally published February 22, 2020 at 8:16 AM.
