NAPERVILLE, Ill. — The City of Naperville recently surveyed residents to better understand the community’s perspectives about future public art. Conducted in October, the survey aimed to gather insights into the preferred styles, themes, and locations for public art, helping to shape future projects that align with the community's vision.

The survey results provided a comprehensive look at the survey respondents' views on the role of public art in Naperville, revealing strong support for nature-inspired and interactive art projects placed throughout the city. Survey respondents showed high enthusiasm for public art that reflects Naperville’s diversity and encourages community engagement. They also expressed a desire to expand art installations beyond the downtown area. Opportunities for consideration include incorporating more temporary and interactive art and exploring alternative funding options, such as sponsorships. Some of the survey’s key findings include:

• Role of public art. Most respondents believe public art should spark creativity and joy (82%). Other important roles include fostering community pride and diversity (66%) and celebrating Naperville’s history (66%).
• Interest in public art. Nearly half of the respondents (45%) highly value public art and believe it is essential to a community. Another 44% value public art and consider it to be important. 
• Preferred locations for public art are downtown and parks. Downtown and commercial areas (91%) ranked highest for public art placement, followed by parks and green spaces (76%).

Please note that survey respondents could select multiple answers to certain questions, so percentages may exceed 100%.

“We appreciate all community members who took the time to participate in our public art survey,” said City Clerk Dawn Portner. “Now we better understand the community’s interest in public art projects. It's exciting to be able to use these insights to help create future public art in the community.”

This survey included fewer than 20 questions and took about five minutes to complete. Open-ended responses, currently under review, will be analyzed to identify additional themes and insights for future projects. Naperville used Polco, a civic engagement platform used by local governments, to conduct the survey. View the survey results at https://naperville.il.us/public-art-survey

For more information on the City of Naperville, visit www.naperville.il.us. To sign up for the City’s notification system Naper Notify and receive important emergency and community information via a phone call, text message, email or smart phone app, visit www.napernotify.com.

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About Naperville: Located 28 miles west of Chicago, Naperville, Ill., is home to approximately 145,000 people. This vibrant, thriving city consistently ranks as a top community in the nation in which to live, raise children and retire. The city is home to acclaimed public and parochial schools, the best public library system in the country, an array of healthcare options and an exceptionally low crime rate. Naperville has ready access to a variety of public transportation, housing and employment options. The city’s diversified employer base features high technology firms, retailers and factories, as well as small and home-based businesses. Residents also enjoy world-class parks, diverse worship options, the opportunity to serve on several City boards and commissions, a thriving downtown shopping and dining area, a renowned outdoor history museum known as Naper Settlement and an active civic community. For more information, please visit our website at www.naperville.il.us.