The Leander Public Arts Commission hopes to encourage paintings, sculptures, mosaics and other public art through the establishment of the city's first arts master plan, which Leander City Council approved Sept. 18.

According to the plan, LPAC members have three main goals: promoting performance and visual arts in public places, hosting art projects and programs in the city, and increasing art awareness among Leander residents. The master plan's specific action items include replacing out-of-date public playscape equipment with creative and interactive equipment, organizing an annual musical event and hosting a festival with an artistic theme.

LPAC Chairman Stan Holcomb said the commission may start by expanding festivals such as Leander's annual Liberty Fest and the Suddenlink Bluegrass Festival.

"You strengthen what you already have; you build on what you have, and then you bring in more," he said. "We have music at the Leander Car Show every month. I'd like to expand that."

Leander must encourage public art and catch up to other growing cities in Central Texas that already have thriving public arts programs, Holcomb said.

"Public art has the capacity to positively affect people," Holcomb said. "It also has the capacity to create a positive community and also transcend class differences."

City Council established the six-member commission in 2008 to recommend art-promotion efforts to the Leander Parks and Recreation Department. Parks and Recreation Director Steve Bosak said members have been working on the master plan since 2013, starting with an online survey in which 130 people participated.

"[The master plan] gives the public arts commission a to-do list," Bosak said.

LPAC members will work with a limited budget. City Council appropriate $1,100 for the commission in fiscal year 2014–15, less than in previous years.

Bosak said LPAC members are seeking private donations for public art, and could seek help from art programs at Leander ISD or Austin Community College.

Jennifer Jones, LPAC's new vice chair, said the commission might also form an art guild or foundry for local artists.

"We're getting the word out about the art and public places program," Holcomb said. "Put [art] out there, let the folks look at it, let the folks experience it, and then look at the positive and the negative feedback you get and then build from that."