Council approves $330,000 'Leading Light' public art at multimodal station

The Moline City Council approved the Public Art Commission's recommendation to commission a large‑scale, interactive installation (referred to in the record as "Leading Light" or "Tapestry") at the Quad Cities Multimodal Station.

Staff presented the $330,000 project and said MetroLink will fund roughly half of the cost under the intergovernmental agreement. Quad City Arts described the selected concept (by the firm identified as "Skunk Control") as an immersive installation using optic filters that cast shifting colored shadows, activate sidewalks and a tower façade, and change with daylight and viewing angle.

An arts representative said the project was selected from internationally sourced finalists and that the proposed work focuses on local ecology and discovery. The selection process included three finalists; one withdrew prior to final design submissions.

Ald. Schmidt disclosed that Metrolink is a client of his agency and noted the relationship for the record; he said it was not a competitive advantage but wanted to notify the council. The item passed on a unanimous voice/roll call vote in the committee.

Staff said they coordinated with IDOT and the railroad on brightness and utility conflicts and will finalize on‑site locations to avoid utility issues before installation.