The Public Art and Cultural Commission of the City of Asheville is kicking off their first ever Visiting Artist Program this week, featuring a site visit by the artists who are finalists for the program. The visit includes two great opportunities for you and the public to learn more about the project, meet the artists who are finalists (see evening flyer, attached), and provide input on the community engagement planned for the fall and any framework for themes and location for the public art piece that comes out of that. The final artist will be chosen at the beginning of the fall, and artwork will be created in partnership with the community in late fall/early winter. Here are the events: A panel discussion titled “How Will We Reflect Asheville’s African-American Community With New Public Art?” will be held Friday from 10 a.m. to noon at the Refinery Creator Space, 207 Coxe Ave. The panel discussion will be moderated by UNC Asheville professor Darin Waters and will feature Aisha Adams, Catherine Mitchell, Stephanie Hickling Beckman, Buncombe County Commissioner Al Whitesides, Rima Vesely-Flad and Cortina Caldwell. For more information, go to ashevillenc.gov/publicart or call 828.337.4111. There will be an artist meet-and-greet for the community to learn more about the project and meet the artists who are finalists from 5:30-7 p.m. on Friday at the Ingles Mountain View Room at the Sherrill Center on the campus of UNC Asheville. The event will include snacks and drinks and rapid-fire presentations by Art Ecologie, the Color Dreams and Jefferson Pinder, all on approaches to creating public art and addressing the past, present and future of Asheville’s African-American community. A reflection on art and the community will include Asheville City Councilwoman Sheneika Smith, artist Viola Spells and UNC Asheville professor Darin Waters. The event includes artists Monique Luck, Francisco Gonzalez, Flavia Lovatelli, Ivette Cabrera, Amir Shakir and Jefferson Pinder.