Byron Clercx is a creative man with a mission. A native of Sioux Falls, SD, and a long-time Pacific Northwest artist, Clercx is now a Professor and the chairperson of Marshall University’s Art & Design department in Huntington. He specializes in sculpture and taught a variety of art courses at the University of Idaho from 1993-2004.

Why is Clercx important to West Virginia? Because he has been using his vision and position to spread the message of “economic growth through aesthetic enhancement.” In simpler terms, how to grow your town’s image and opportunities by the infusion of public art.

“Civic art” has been a growing initiative in many parts of the world. Berkeley, CA, Aurora, IL, and Austin, TX, are just a few examples of where major priority is being placed on this angle of economic growth.

Byron Clercx and the WV Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA WV) have been leading an exciting dialogue about the future of the “Old Main” 4th Avenue corridor in Huntington. Local citizens have an opportunity to define a new vision for what visitors and citizens (current and potential) will experience as they enter and engage with the city. Clercx’s vision is that a burst of creativity will infuse the thinking around this project and impact everything from streetscapes to flood retaining walls to trash cans. As he puts it, “Why not deliver a memorable image that can’t be found anywhere else?”

Hard research on the “real” economic impact of civic arts projects is lacking. While arts organizations have begun to deliver more sophisticated reporting on the impact of arts and cultural programming for a region, there has been little research on the impact of “public art” projects that tend to help brand a city as unique and compelling. Clercx provides many anecdotal examples, however, of just how powerful the images are and how effectively they help burn a city’s image into the minds of visitors. Best of all, many of the creative examples cost the same or less than the “boring” versions of the same public fixtures.

This and other exciting topics will be discussed at the Create WV Conference Nov 12-14, 2007, at the Stonewall Resort in Roanoke, WV.