HomeMy WebLinkAboutPresentation_Legacy Square Art UpdateLegacy Square Art
Update
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, APRIL 20, 2026
AMANDA FREE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
JESSIE KOTARSKI, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
Stage Doors & Wall Mural Design
Purpose of Today’s Discussion
Council Review & Feedback
Provide Council with an update on public art design development
Share current stage door & wall mural concepts
Review feedback received from RMAC and project team
Gather Council input to guide final refinement
Prepare for final approval on April 27 Council meeting
Project Overview
Legacy Square Phase 1 Public Art – Overview & Artist Selection
Stage door designs and adjacent wall mural
Artists selected via competitive RFQ and multi-stakeholder
review (City staff, Arts Commission, community partners)
Criteria: artistic merit, community alignment, feasibility
Concepts rooted in Art Plan themes, shaped by community
engagement and consultants
Vision
A dynamic, long-term hub for community connection, integrating
art, play, performance, and gathering spaces
Goal
Create a cohesive visual story reflecting Renton’s identity,
aligned with the Art Plan
Timeline
April 27 – Final
Approval Needed
Council approval required
to move forward
Designs should be
finalized by end of April to
stay on schedule.
May 11
Production Begins
Art teams begin fabrication
and installation. All
materials, supplies, and
equipment must be
coordinated the week prior.
June 6
Grand Opening
All artwork installed and
ready for public debut.
Selected Artist Team
Urban Artworks
Selected independently for both projects through separate
review processes
About Urban ArtWorks
Over 30 years of experience delivering large-scale public
art across the Puget Sound region.
Experience working with municipalities, nonprofits, and
private partners on site-specific installations.
Proven ability to coordinate artists, stakeholders, and
production teams to deliver public artwork aligned with
project goals.
Local Experience & Project Delivery
Prior work in Renton, including the City’s Paint with
Purpose mural program.
Full-service project management from concept through
installation, including coordination, engagement,
production oversight, and maintenance planning.
Nikita Ares
Toka Valu
SeaTac -based illustrator and public artist
working with storytelling, cultural symbolism,
and layered patterns inspired by Tongan and
Pasifika traditions.
Stage door design builds on the dragon theme
and Indigenous storytelling, inspired by the
historic Black River—once believed to flow in
two directions seasonally, reflected in the
Chinook Jargon name “Mox La Push” (“two
mouths”).
The concept features a two-headed
serpent/dragon: one head rooted in Coast
Salish formline traditions, the other in carved
influences from the artist’s upbringing—
reflecting duality, place, and interconnected
cultural narratives.
Stage Door Artist
Toka Valu
Wall Mural
Nikita Ares
•Nikita is a nationally recognized muralist with experience on major public art projects (Amazon, Seattle Storm, regional municipalities)
•Her practice centers on community engagement, education, and inclusive storytelling
•Work aligns with the “Legacy in Motion” theme, emphasizing movement, vibrancy, and rhythm in an inclusive gathering space
Next Steps
Incorporate Council Feedback
Review comments and refine design direction based on Council input.
Provide Direction
to Artist(s)
Translate feedback into clear guidance to
support final design
development.
Final Design for
Approval (April 27)
Return completed design to Council for
final review and
approval.