Beautify Brooklyn Center

Public art is vital to building a dynamic and equitable city for everyone; it encourages dialogues across difference, inspires viewers and participants to engage more fully in their communities and fosters civic pride and stewardship. Public art is more than art in public places. It’s increasingly about creating meaningful experiences for audiences of all types—creative activities that bridge difference and build social cohesion. This plan is a tool to promote community-based arts and cultural development in Brooklyn Center – with a focus on public art – and guide the work of the City, elected officials and leaders in the community.

Beautify Brooklyn Center Public Art Master Plan

The Cultural and Public Arts Commission was established at the April 8, 2024 City Council meeting. This is an advisory commission whose purpose is to guide aesthetic considerations and promote public art as a mechanism to foster civic pride, community health, diversity, equity, and inclusion and guide further planning and advising the City Council on:

• Investments;
• Decision-making and evaluation of demonstration projects; and
• Development of policies, governance practices and procedures. 

The goals of this commission includes:

• Support of economic activity;
• Highlights history and diversity;
• Engage and supports artists;
• Enrich the aesthetic quality life;
• Generates dialogue and community engagement;
• Increases public awareness of and education about public art; and
• Humanizes space.

Cultural and Public Arts Commission Members

The Financial Commission assists the City Council in evaluating and developing fiscal policies, fiscal procedures, Mayor and Council Member total compensation, budgetary and capital matters, and such other issues as may be assigned to the Commission by the City Council or referred to it by the City Manager. Commissioners serve a three-year term. The Commission is composed of a Chairperson and six members.

• Financial Commission Members

Agenda Packets and Adopted Minutes

Financial Commission public records are located in Laserfiche WebLink, the City's electronic records management system.

The general purpose of the Housing Commission is to afford citizen input in the development of a housing program to supplement the activities of the City Council. Commissioners serve a three-year term. The Commission is composed of a Chairperson and six members.

• Housing Commission Duties and Responsibilities
• Housing Commission Members

Meeting Times & Location

Third Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall. Check the Meeting Calendar to view upcoming meetings.

Agenda Packets and Adopted Minutes

Housing Commission public records are located in Laserfiche WebLink, the City's electronic records management system.

The Northwest Suburbs Cable Communications Commission (NWSCCC) is a municipal joint-powers commission formed to create a cable television service territory large enough to support a state-of-the-art cable television system. The commission is comprised of and serves the nine suburbs of Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Golden Valley, Maple Grove, New Hope, Osseo, Plymouth, and Robbinsdale. The governing board is made up of two representatives of each city, one of which is a representative of the City Council and the other a resident of the city, both appointed by the City Council. Commission members are appointed for a three-year term by their respective City Council. As a joint-powers municipal commission, the NWSCCC regulates the cable company on a cost-sharing basis among the member cities through local franchise authority and franchise fees.

Northwest Community Television (NCT) was formed in 1982 as a non-profit corporation by NWSCCC. NCT is designed to create a stronger sense of community and a better-informed citizenry by producing quality community news and information programming specifically about the cities we serve. NCT helps link neighbor to neighbor throughout the greater community.

• Northwest Suburbs Cable Communications Commission Members

Meeting Times & Location

Third Thursday of the month at 7:30 a.m. at 6900 Winnetka Avenue North, Brooklyn Park. Check the Meeting Calendar to view upcoming meetings.

The Park & Recreation Commission's purpose is to monitor and reflect the attitudes and concerns of the citizens of Brooklyn Center relative to the conservation of environmental resources in Brooklyn Center and to the park system and recreation programs, and to advise the City Council of citizen attitudes and policy matters relevant to the conservation, park, and recreation functions in Brooklyn Center. Commissioners serve a three-year term. The Commission is composed of a Chairperson and six members.

• Park & Recreation Commission Duties and Responsibilities
• Park & Recreation Commission Members

Meeting Times & Location

Third Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. at the Community Center. Check the Meeting Calendar to view upcoming meetings.

Agenda Packets and Adopted Minutes

Park & Recreation Commission public records are located in Laserfiche WebLink, the City's electronic records management system.

The Planning Commission advises the City Council on issues related to comprehensive planning of land use and redevelopment, platting, rezoning, and special use applications, plan approval, variances, and appeals. Commissioners serve a two-year term. The Commission is composed of a Chairperson and six members.

• Planning Commission Duties and Responsibilities
• Applications and Other Information
• Planning Commission Members

Meeting Times & Location

The second Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of Brooklyn Center City Hall unless otherwise noted. Check the Meeting Calendar to view upcoming meetings.

Agenda Packets and Adopted Minutes

Planning Commission public records are located in Laserfiche WebLink, the City's electronic records management system.

The Sister Cities Commission serves as an advisory body on matters affecting sister cities relationships, programs, and activities. This Sister Cities Commission will review applications for sister city affiliations and forward recommendations to the City Council for the establishment of future Sister City agreements. Commissioners are expected to volunteer time to participate in Sister City event projects outside the regular meetings. Commissioners serve a five-year term. The Commission is composed of a Chairperson and four members.

• Sister Cities Duties and Responsibilities

In 2012, the City of Voinjama, Liberia was formally established by City Council as Sister City to the City of Brooklyn Center. The Sister City Program has been in existence since 1956 when U.S President Dwight D Eisenhower proposed a People-to-People citizen diplomacy initiative. The City of Brooklyn Center was asked to establish a Sister City Relationship by the Vice President of Liberia, His Excellency Joseph N. Boakai as well as the Voinjama-Brooklyn Center Sister City Committee led by Pastor Alexander B. Collins.

Learn More About Sister City Program:

• What is the Sister City program?
• Voinjama, Lofa County, Liberia
• City Council Resolution adopting Voinjama as Sister City
• Voinjama article in City Watch, Summer 2014 Edition 187

Brooklyn Center Delegation to Voinjama

In January 18-27, 2014, a Brooklyn Center delegation including Mayor Tim Willson, Council Member Lin Myszkowski, City Manager Curt Boganey, Community Liaison Monique Drier, and her 17 year old son Treigh visited Voinjama, Liberia. The trip was funded privately without the use of City funds. The Brooklyn Center delegation was greeted by Liberian Vice President Joseph Boakai and Voinjama Mayor Younger Sherman among several other political figures. The trip’s itinerary included visits to local establishments and community service locations including the national police force, local schools, medical facilities, and other community organizations. View pictures from the trip in the slideshow below.

Meeting Times & Location

Meetings shall be held on an as-needed basis. Check the Meeting Calendar to view upcoming meetings.