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Culture and Arts Advisory Board Meeting

Town of Apex · Culture and Arts Advisory Board
Monday, February 16, 2026 at 12:00 pm

Advisory board meeting Arts and public artHealth and human servicesParks and recreationPublic facilitiesRoads and transportationSchools and education

Minutes Meeting page Watch Meeting recap

What's on this agenda

A half-hour monthly meeting of the town's arts advisory board: standing projects, a social media plan, and a call for artists for two new murals.

Summarized from the published agenda. Read the agenda itself before acting on it.

Meeting recap

What happened, drawn from the records published after the meeting. Minutes

The board's plan to bring short live performances to the senior centre ran into the seniors themselves. Staff reported the centre is not available because similar programming had drawn negative feedback: the performances were distracting to the environment and not well received. The alternative on the table is 15 to 20 minute sets in the main gallery of the town's arts centre before scheduled events such as openings and concerts, with performers bringing their own instruments since there is no piano on the main floor. The board agreed to test the idea at a classical concert on 15 March.

A proposed downtown outdoor painting event was pushed to spring 2027 because of ongoing downtown construction, which would not suit it visually and might affect feasibility. The extra year also allows the event to grow from four hours to six, so artists have time to finish, with a reception added.

A call for artists for two murals is nearly ready: a full wrap on the Nature Park amphitheatre building, requested by the town council, and murals on the retaining walls of the new downtown parking lot, likely done in phases. Counting the 60-day call, review and interviews, a 30-day public review and council approval, painting should happen in October and November before the cold.

The board also heard that sculpture walk pieces come down in mid-March and new ones arrive in mid-April, with the town's own purchased sculpture moving to Pleasant Park; that a member is experimenting with an augmented reality scan of a greenway mural; that a social media plan proposes a more curated verified account under the name Apex Culture Art, starting on Facebook; and a proposal to bring a limited run of a Raleigh Little Theatre production to the town's arts centre after its main stage run, which staff offered to help open. The board approved cancelling its January meeting, which had been called off for weather.

How the votes went

Three unanimous votes: the December minutes, ratifying the cancellation of the January meeting for inclement weather, and adjournment at 6:30 PM.

From the published minutes.

Who spoke

No members of the public spoke.

Read from the records the government published after the meeting. Members of the public are private residents and are not named or indexed.

Speaking at this meeting

Town of Apex's own rules for public comment — check them before you rely on anything here.

Agenda items (10)

Discussion item · 7Minutes approval · 1Personnel · 1Staff or committee report · 1
  1. 1 Approval of Minutes and January Cancellation
    Minutes approval
    December minutes approved, and the cancellation of the 26 January meeting for inclement weather ratified.
    Both unanimous, 7-0
  2. 2 Town Liaison Report
    Personnel Arts and public artParks and recreation
    A new assistant director of parks, recreation and cultural resources introduced, following a retirement on 30 January.
  3. 3 Music Moments
    Discussion item Arts and public artHealth and human services
    The senior centre is not available: similar programming there drew negative feedback, being distracting and not well received. The alternative is 15 to 20 minute sets in the arts centre's main gallery before openings and concerts, with performers bringing their own instruments. A classical concert on 15 March will be the test.
  4. 4 Art in Plein Air
    Discussion item Arts and public art
    Postponed to spring 2027 because of downtown construction. The extra time allows the event to run six hours rather than four so artists can finish, with a reception added.
  5. 5 PeakFest
    Discussion item Arts and public artSchools and education
    A sculpture walk or children's scavenger hunt as interactive elements, volunteers recruited through school organisations and the mayor's internship programme, and the master planning team possibly gathering public feedback at the event. First weekend in May.
  6. 6 Apex Sculpture Walk VI
    Staff or committee report Arts and public art
    Current pieces come down in mid-March and new ones arrive in mid-April. Most locations stay the same, with one returning to the community centre entryway. The sculpture the town purchased moves to Pleasant Park before the April installations.
  7. 7 Artist in Residence and Augmented Reality
    Discussion item Arts and public artRoads and transportation
    An artisan residence proposal returns with an updated plan next meeting. A member is experimenting with an augmented reality scan of a mural on the White Oak Greenway, aiming at an interactive experience shareable by email.
  8. 8 Social Media Strategy
    Discussion item Arts and public art
    A two-page plan: distinguish the board's account from other towns' and arts accounts, run a series introducing the advisors, move to a more curated verified account, settle on the name Apex Culture Art, and start on Facebook with possible expansion later.
  9. 9 Murals - Call for Artists
    Discussion item Arts and public artPublic facilities
    Two projects, launching within a couple of weeks: a full wrap on the Nature Park amphitheatre building, requested by the town council, and murals on the retaining walls of the new downtown parking lot, likely in phases. Allowing for a 60-day call, review and interviews, 30-day public review and council approval, painting is expected in October and November.
  10. 10 Raleigh Little Theatre Partnership
    Discussion item Arts and public art
    A proposal to host a limited run of a Raleigh Little Theatre production at the town's arts centre after its main stage run, possibly with concessions, alcohol and sponsorships. Staff have an existing relationship with the theatre and offered to open the conversation.

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