The City of Naperville is home to an illustrious public art collection, thanks to the nearly 30-year effort by Century Walk Corporation (CWC), a nonprofit dedicated to its mission of creating culturally significant and diverse public art throughout Naperville in the 21st Century. Over its tenure, CWC installed art in 53 locations throughout the community. These pieces represent Naperville’s history and reflect its appreciation of the changing demographic that adds to the city’s vibrance.
In March 2024, after 28 years at the helm, Brand Bobosky, founder and president of CWC, announced his retirement and will step down at the end of the year. As he leaves behind an array of installations valued at more than $4 million, equally funded by public money and private donations, Bobosky offers three options for the organization: continue running under a successor, negotiate with the city to take it over, or liquidate the corporation. While the preeminent facilitator of public art defines its future, local organizations that want to have a hand in continuing Naperville’s public art legacy, take note!
Arts DuPage and JCS Arts, Health and Education Fund of DuPage Foundation (JCS) recently announced a matching grant opportunity of up to $25,000 for public art projects in DuPage County. Open to government entities and nonprofits, the grant will support permanent or temporary projects in any art medium, including murals, sculptures, and pop-up art installations. In 2023, the inaugural year for the public art grant, JCS funded four projects, including the City of Elmhurst and Elmhurst City Centre’s Umbrella Sky installation, a three-year open-air display of more than 300 brightly colored umbrellas suspended over locations in the downtown area including Schiller Court. The project not only illuminates gray spaces but also attracts customers to local businesses; both are positive side effects of outdoor exhibitions.
For more details, including the grant application and guidelines, go to DuPage Foundation’s website (https://dupagefoundation.org/grants/jcs-fund.html).
The submission deadline is 5PM on Fri., Nov. 22, 2024; projects should be installed or completed by Sept. 30, 2025. Contact Debbie Venezia, director of Arts DuPage, at debbie@dupagefoundation.org or (630) 598-5299 with any questions regarding the public art grant.
For more information about the JCS Arts, Health and Education Fund of DuPage Foundation and DuPage Foundation, visit dupagefoundation.org.
