Moscow Seeks Public Input on Finalist Proposals for Police Department Sculpture and City Shop Mural
Moscow residents have a narrow window to weigh in on two public art projects taking shape in the city, as the Moscow Arts Commission and the City of Moscow have opened a formal comment period on finalist proposals for a sculpture at the Moscow Police Department and a mural at the City Shop. Comments will be accepted online through 5 p.m. on Friday, May 29, 2026.
Two Projects, Six Finalist Artists
The Moscow Police Department sculpture project drew six total submissions during its qualification phase, which ran from early February through late March of this year. A selection panel composed of current and former MPD personnel, working artists, and Moscow Arts Commission members reviewed all submissions before convening in person to score and discuss each entry. From that process, two finalists were advanced: James Dinh and Ken McCall, both of whom were asked to develop site-specific proposals for the MPD location.
The City Shop mural project attracted considerably more interest during its own qualification window, which ran from January through early March. Twenty-one submissions came in, and the same review process — online preview followed by in-person scoring — narrowed the field to four finalists: Taylor Shaw, Matt Sunderman, Sasha Primo, and Joshua Martel. Each of the four was invited to submit a site-specific mural proposal for the City Shop building.
Residents can view all finalist proposals and submit comments through the city’s online forms. Those who prefer to provide feedback on paper may arrange an appointment by contacting city staff directly at mcherry@ci.moscow.id.us.
Local Preference Built Into Selection Criteria
Both projects were open to artists 18 and older from across the United States, but the selection process included a geographic preference component designed to prioritize regional talent. Artists residing in Latah County or Nez Perce County, or those who are members of the Nez Perce or Coeur d’Alene tribes, or who maintain a significant Idaho economic presence, received additional scoring points before the panel’s evaluation. A secondary tier of preference applied to artists from Asotin County and Whitman County in Washington state.
The preference structure reflects a deliberate effort by the Moscow Arts Commission and city officials to invest public art dollars in local and regional economies — a consideration that aligns with the kind of community-first spending priorities that taxpayers and elected officials in Latah County have long emphasized.
What Comes Next
Once the public comment period closes Friday evening, city staff will compile all feedback and deliver it to the respective selection panels for each project. Each panel will then score the finalist proposals according to criteria developed by the Moscow Arts Commission and previously approved by the Moscow City Council. Each panel will forward a single artist recommendation to the Arts Commission, which will vote on whether to advance that recommendation to City Council for final approval.
The public art process reflects an ongoing effort by city leadership to involve Moscow residents in decisions about how public spaces are shaped and what values and aesthetics they reflect. As the city heads into summer — community programming including the Moscow Summer Feeding Program is set to kick off June 8 — residents are encouraged to take a few minutes before Friday’s deadline to review the proposals and submit their input.
Full details on the finalist proposals, including images and artist statements, are available through the City of Moscow’s official website at ci.moscow.id.us.