The mission of the Public Arts Commission is to enhance the cultural and aesthetic quality of life in Ashland by actively pursuing the placement of public art in public spaces and serving to preserve and develop public access to the arts. The continued vitality of the arts in the City of Ashland is a vital part of the future of the City as well as of its citizens. The arts are an important part of the cultural and economic life of the entire community of Ashland and enrich the participants in the arts as well as those who observe them. Several organizations which exist in Ashland are active in the arts and provide leadership to the community on arts related matters. The creation of a Public Arts Commission for the City of Ashland will assist those organizations, and other organizations and individuals, to make arts a more important part of the City’s life. Recommendations from the Commission regarding the acquisition and placement of public art should be based upon accepted standards and guidelines as opposed to personal opinion. This chapter will create a Public Arts Commission and adopt standards and guidelines for selecting, commissioning, placing, maintaining, and removing public art. (Ord. 3003, amended, 02/18/2010; Ord. 2977, added, 01/06/2009; Ord. 2890, added, 11/19/2002)