Mural project completed in downtown Farmington

FARMINGTON — The Farmington Downtown Development Authority has been patiently waiting since 2021 to be a part of the Detroit Institute of Arts’ Partners in Public Art mural project.

This year that patience was rewarded, as Farmington was selected to be part of a 2024 Partners in Public Art community mural project.

The site of the project is the Walter E. Sundquist Pavilion in Riley Park, located at 33113 Grand River Ave. The mural was painted by muralist Rick Malt, a resident of Wyandotte.

According to Farmington DDA Executive Director Kate Knight, Malt was selected as a result of community engagement. She said that more than 140 people responded to a public survey that sought ideas and input from community members.

Malt completed the mural in October. He estimated that it took him about seven days to complete the project.

Although the DIA had 2025 or 2026 in mind for Farmington to be part of the project, according to Knight, “We said, ‘What about this year?’”

“We convinced them we could make it happen on a short lead time, and that would allow us to compound the impact of celebrating our bicentennial,” she said. “We have this big 200th celebration happening in Farmington this year.”

According to a press release, through the Partners in Public Art program, the DIA works with cities across Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties to create community-driven, “highly visible” public murals.

Communities participating in the program are identified through an open application process, with the goal of completing eight murals across the three counties each year.

After a location is selected, input is gathered and shared with the selected artist to provide themes and ideas for the mural design. The theme chosen for Farmington was “Through Seasons.”

The mural features two different sceneries on the gables of Sundquist Pavilion, with one featuring lighter, summer themes and the other featuring fall colors and scenery.

“It’s kind of different seasons as you walk through,” Malt said. “They kind of let me roll with it and create my vision. I’m super happy with how everything turned out.”

Ani Garabedian, the manager of community engagement programs for the DIA, said the response to the Partners in Public Art program has been overwhelming.

According to her, one part of the excitement for residents is getting to see artists at work in their respective neighborhoods.

“Just to watch the mural develop and to see the final project, they’re involved the entire way,” Garabedian said. “There’s this real connection with the artist being in their neighborhood working daily, and they have this nice interaction with the artist and with the mural as it develops.”

The opportunity to engage with community members while working on “Through Seasons” was an aspect of the project that stood out to Malt.

“It was a super-fun project to be a part of, and seeing the community as I was painting, interacting with the community,” he said. “Everyone loved seeing the process of it all being painted and coming together. I was excited to be the artist selected.”

As for how she thinks the project turned out, Knight said, “We’re thrilled.”

“The idea of reaching southeast Michigan and the public and creating art in communities, there’s a sense of stewardship with all of our public art, but this one in particular,” she said. 

“We have an agreement to maintain it and take care of it for 10 years. This program brings art to places where people live and work every day, and to have this mural in the heart of our downtown is the perfect fit for the people of Farmington.”

According to Garabedian, the program is a benefit of a 0.2-mill property tax approved by voters in Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties in 2012 to fund the DIA, and compensation for artists comes from that funding.

“The Partners in Public Art program is one way for the DIA to bring art to the communities, and a way to engage residents,” she said. 

“We want community members and residents to come to the museum, but this is also a way to be working with the communities out in their neighborhoods.”

According to Knight, the response to the community engagement survey was robust and the finished result of the mural has been enthusiastically received.

“It’s a bold statement of creativity and innovation,” she said. “Projects like this mural are a reminder that world-class art belongs everywhere.”