Protect public art from vandals. Keep it indoors. Having a public art program in Denver which uses a developer’s tax to fund artists to create works of art in public spaces around the city is a great thing. Having those same works of art defaced by gangs who “mark” them with their “signs” is horrible. So until these gangs can be prevented from doing their thing, we should not be placing new public art works in places where they are sure to be defaced. That, unfortunately, means in our public parks, particularly along Denver’s wonderful Cherry Creek hike and bike trail. Murals on walls along this trail have been ravaged from Confluence Park to Colorado Boulevard, especially the huge mural across the creek from Cherry Creek Mall. Yet the Denver Arts & Venues agency continues to offer the Public Arts Program a free pass to commission new murals and other works of art on its property, as if gang markings would not inevitably follow. There are plenty of indoor locations in our city where public art works will be safe.