HomeMy WebLinkAboutLR Public Art Project Proposal to Paint Six (6) Public Utility Boxes Throughout San Rafael____________________________________________________________________________________
FOR CITY CLERK ONLY
Council Meeting: May 6, 2024
Disposition: Approved the San Rafael Leadership Institute proposal to paint murals on six (6) public
utility boxes throughout San Rafael
Agenda Item No: 4.e
Meeting Date: May 6, 2024
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Department: Library and Recreation
Prepared by: Craig Veramay, Assistant Library
and Recreation Director
City Manager Approval: ______________
TOPIC: PUBLIC ART PROJECT PROPOSAL TO PAINT SIX (6) PUBLIC UTILITY BOXES
THROUGHOUT SAN RAFAEL
SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF THE SAN RAFAEL LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE PROPOSAL TO PAINT
MURALS ON SIX (6) PUBLIC UTILITY BOXES THROUGHOUT SAN RAFAEL
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the San Rafael Leadership Institute proposal to paint murals on six (6) public utility boxes
throughout San Rafael.
BACKGROUND:
The City of San Rafael welcomes proposals for the creation and display of public artworks and exhibitions
on property that is owned, occupied, or managed by the City. The Public Art Review Board (PARB) has
the authority to approve short-term temporary art installations (one-year or less). For long-term
installations of greater than one year, the PARB provides recommendations to the City Council, who has
the final authority to approve public art project proposals.
The City has established Public Art Review Guidelines to review public art proposals. These guidelines
include careful consideration of project readiness, qualification of artists or groups, project funding,
community engagement, maintenance, design, and diversity.
Utilizing the City’s Public Art Review Process, the San Rafael Leadership Institute Class of 2024 has
proposed a project called “Art with a Purpose” (Attachment 1). The “Art with a Purpose” proposal is to
paint six (6) public utility boxes throughout the City, utilizing existing infrastructure to inspire residents,
job seekers, and employers by promoting Chamber of Commerce values, such as sustainability,
inclusivity, and equitable opportunities.
ANALYSIS:
The San Rafael Leadership Institute (Leadership Institute) is a program of the San Rafael Chamber of
Commerce and describes their program as “Marin’s premier leadership program for professionals who
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 2
seek to hone their capacity to lead, develop a leadership vision, explore current issues, and to better
understand the decision-making systems in Marin.” The Leadership Institute provides the opportunity for
participants to experience working with a group of dynamic, diverse professionals from many industries
and disciplines. The program brings together many of Marin’s policymakers and offers participants the
chance to build relationships with key stakeholders in the county.
In March 2024, the Leadership Institute published a “Call for Artists,” which resulted in eight (8) proposals.
From that group, the Leadership Institute identified six (6) artists that best represented the values of the
program. The Leadership Institute then worked with those artists to develop their concept in alignment
with one or more of the Chamber of Commerce values and identify utility box locations that suited the
artwork and values of the program.
The project seeks to engage the local artistic community in capturing the essence of one value per utility
box. The proposal calls for each box to include information about the project and include a vinyl adhesive
sticker QR code that links to the City’s Public Art Page, where community members may find additional
information about the City’s Public Art program, the Leadership Institute project, the artists, and
descriptions of the art and concepts.
Staff received the group’s initial public art proposal on March 20, 2024. Upon receipt, staff initiated an
internal review process and shared objective recommendations, questions, and comments with the
Leadership Institute. In response to staff comments and recommendations, the Leadership Institute
submitted a revised proposal. Staff determined that the proposal met initial internal review guidelines to
initiate the formal Public Art Review process, and, on April 17, 2024, the Leadership Institute presented
their proposal to the PARB. The PARB provided feedback to the Leadership Institute and conditionally
recommended the proposal be routed to City Council for review and approval. Staff have confirmed that
the Leadership Institute has incorporated the feedback from the PARB into their updated proposal.
The Leadership Institute artists will be required to obtain encroachment permits and comply with the
City’s construction barricade policy. Upon completion of the painting, the murals will become the property
of the City. The expected lifespan of the murals is 5-10 years, and no maintenance plan has been
identified. Based on previous experience with utility box murals, staff do not feel that a maintenance plan
is required.
If approved, the Leadership Institute intends to begin painting later this month, prior to the graduation of
the Leadership Institute participants in June. As a permanent art installation (longer than 1 year), the
proposal requires City Council approval.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH:
The San Rafael Leadership Institute has developed this project proposal through community
conversations and partnerships with several local arts organizations to identify qualified local artists,
develop the art concepts, and raise funds for this project. Those partner organizations include Artworks
Downtown, Marin Society of Artists, Multicultural Center of Marin, Youth In Arts, Canal Alliance, San
Rafael Chamber of Commerce, Marin School for the Arts, College of Marin Art Classes, the Downtown
San Rafael Business Improvement District, Marin Open Studios, Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival, Dominican
University Art Classes, and the Marin County Public Art Commission.
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 3
The group has furnished two (2) letters of community support (San Rafael Business Improvement District
and Youth In Arts), which are included as Attachment 2.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this project, as it is entirely funded by the San Rafael Leadership
Institute. This project is estimated to cost $6,000 and the San Rafael Leadership Institute has raised
adequate funds to cover all costs. The Leadership Institute intends to furnish each artist with a $1,000
stipend to pay for supplies, materials, and their time to complete the project. Funds for this project are
generated from personal pledges of class members, and from the organizations and companies they
represent.
OPTIONS:
The City Council has the following options to consider on this matter:
1. Approve the public art installation.
2. Approve the art installation with modifications.
3. Direct staff to return with more information.
4. Take no action.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Approve the San Rafael Leadership Institute proposal to paint murals on six (6) public utility boxes
throughout San Rafael.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. The San Rafael Leadership Institute ‘Art with a Purpose’ proposal
2. Letters of Support
a. San Rafael Business Improvement District
b. Youth In Arts
San Rafael Leadership Institute Class Project
2024 Utility Boxes
“Art With a Purpose”
City Council Proposal
Utility Box Painting Program returns to San Rafael!
What: The San Rafael Leadership Institute Class of 2024 “Art with a Purpose” project promotes
creating a healthy, sustainable, inclusive,and resilient community.
Why: Install art on existing infrastructure, aiming to inspire residents, job seekers, and
employers by promoting chamber values such as sustainability, inclusivity, and equitable
opportunities. Specifically, we plan to feature a creative interpretation of these values through
Utility boxes designed by local artists.This is a project of the San Rafael Leadership Institute, a
program of the San Rafael Chamber of Commerce.
Artists submitted their ideas for additional Utility Box painting to occur during May 2024. This
project will focus on the pillars of:
Community Resources
Disaster Preparedness
Diversity
Equity
Inclusion
Economic Vitality
Sustainability
Workforce Development
We are seeking to engage the local Artistic Community in capturing the essence of one of these
topics per box.Each box will have a QR code incorporated into the design linking agencies
that pertain to the topic.
Site Locations:There will be 6 utility boxes throughout the City of San Rafael that will be
selected for this project. The locations can be seen HERE.
"Art with a Purpose" Ut ility Box Ar t Proj ect
San Rafae l Leadership
Insti tute - Class of 2024
Untitled layer
4th St reet & A St reet
4th St reet & B St reet
Civ ic Cent er D rive & McInnis
Parkway
Las Gallinas Av enue & Nov a
Albion Way
Bellam Boulev ard & Kerner
Boulevard
Second St reet & Grand Avenue
Travis Neditch
Box #1 @ Northgate
THEME: COMMUNITY RESOURCES
QR CODE LINK TO:
https://srpubliclibrary.org/community-resources/
My piece is entitled "The Tower".... The Piece would wrap the box and appear as a continuous line of people
ascending their way to the top of a tower.... Many of the themes in which the city of San Rafael suggested
appear in narrative form within the illustrated piece. Health and
wellness/Immigration/Employment/Diversity/Family Relations/Transportation... In addition I added my own
themes which explore different facets of human nature from greed and self absorbed behavior to empathy
and Heroism. My piece ultimately represents the importance of working together in society. My main
inspirations for my box was the story of the Tower of Babel and the story of Sisyphus forever pushing the
boulder up the hill.
Changes after PARB:
1)The top tier now represents a handicapped figure with basketball and a child reading with imagination
cloud behind her.
2)Middle tier now has woman on motorcycle, and woman as the medic with medical backpack. Added
crutch to with injured man and trowel with construction worker.
3) The bottom tier added new ambiguous character and provided a bit more detail to all characters.
4) I also added broken ladders to represent the peril of short cuts taken in life.
PARB RESPONSE: PARB liked concept, but asked whether it was possible for the artist to incorporate more diverse
representations of the people. The concept proposal seemed to represent mostly male-presenting figures, and the
PARB recommended revising artwork to represent more gender diversity and perhaps a wider variety of abilities to
represent San Rafael more broadly. Artist doesn't need to revise concept, but the proposal should include a response
to this question.
Devlin Espeleta
Box #2 Civic Center
Fireman silhouettes with red and yellow backgrounds. No text. 4
Firefighters (one with a ponytail to hit on inclusion theme) and each one
will feature a different way to fight/protect against wildfire. Goats, native
plants, and wildflowers.No fish or owls in final design (originally to
represent our endangered species).
THEME: DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
Box Sponsored by SRFD
QR CODE LINKING TO:
https://www.cityofsanrafael.org/emergency-management/
PARB RESPONSE: They liked this one, too, but didn't want to have "Thank You....." on the
art. One of the PARB commented that she liked the animal connection but all weren't clear
on it. Everyone liked the silhouette idea.
I aim to make fun, approachable, Diverse and professional artistic work for
San Rafael. The ideas I submit will always have a story and will join at least
two pillars. I believe color and great images on walls can bring about a
brighter more positive feeling to the streets of a city. I would really like to
produce more mural work for the city of San Rafael as I believe its power is
important for all to see and enjoy.
my thinking was characters of 4th st - the small business owners all looking
insanely happy because they all work on 4th st. - like real life :)
Hopefully if work grows then these characters could be featured in other
mural ideas or marketing ideas for the city & commerce. With additional
color the whole thing would pop.
THEME: ECONOMIC VITALITY
Box Sponsored by San Rafael Business Improvement District
QR CODE LINK TO:
https://www.cityofsanrafael.org/departments/economic-development/
OR
https://downtownsanrafael.org/
Eyan Higgins Jones
Box #3 @ 4th & B Street
PARB RESPONSE: Originally had Star Wars characters, but there was
a question about licensing, so he removed them
THEME: DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION
Box Sponsored by Water Components
QR CODE LINK TO:
https://www.cityofsanrafael.org/racial-and-social-equity/
In our diverse community, embracing and celebrating our differences is paramount. My proposed mural,
titled "One of Us" or "All Connected," aims to promote the values of diversity and inclusion through art. This
mural will depict individuals from in various backgrounds, cultures, and identities coming together in
harmony, showcasing the beauty of our differences. Through vibrant colors and powerful imagery, the
mural will symbolize unity and interconnectedness, emphasizing that despite our unique experiences, we
are all part of the same human family. By prominently displaying this mural in a central location, we hope to
inspire conversations and foster a greater sense of understanding and acceptance among community
members. Let us come together to celebrate diversity and promote inclusivity, ensuring that everyone feels
valued and represented in our shared space.
Yuan Chen
Box #4 @ 4th & A Street
PARB RESPONSE: loved this image. No comments for change. PARB wasn't sure how it would
be wrapped around the box but I'm sure the artist has an idea on this.
Oscar Morales
Box #5 @ Bellum
THEME: SUSTAINABILITY
Box Sponsored by Marin Sanitary
QR CODE LINKING TO:
https://marinsanitaryservice.com/residential/residential-recycling/
FOCUSING ON SUSTAINABILITY AND RECYCLABLITY!
Food is not garbage, be a part of the change, you’re part of the
solution, earth.
Oscar will be making some edits in the final version based on PARB
response.
PARB RESPONSE FROM 1ST VERSION: The Board recommended revising the artwork to reflect positive
sustainability elements; and removing use of logos or text. Received revised artwork on 4/19 - The
revised images include recognizable people. Oscar will be painting the images to make the figures more
general and less recognizable.
2nd & Grand
Youth in Arts Students with Lead Artist Keena
Romano
Box #6 @ Bellum
THEME: EQUITY & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Box Sponsored by Marin Community Foundation
QR CODE LINK TO:
https://www.marincf.org/
This design incorporates elements from two Youth in Arts murals that were recently completed - "Universe of
Imagination" at Bahia Vista and "Falcons in Bloom" at Venetia Valley K-8 School. These murals were created
as part of Youth in Arts I AM (Intensive Arts Mentorship Program) in the summer of 2023. Youth in Arts
recruited 20 emerging youth artists, aged 16 - 20, from Marin County’s most racially marginalized and
underserved neighborhoods to work with professional BIPOC artists, and Mentor Muralists, Fred Alvarado
and Keena Azania Romano. The I AM emerging artists interviewed students from Bahia Vista and Venetia
Valley's summer programs to ascertain what they would like to see represented at their schools, then based
on that feedback, conceptualized and installed the murals. Youth in Arts' I AM program aims to center and
amplify youth voice. We offer the emerging artists stipends for their time, providing early onramps to job
training as well as furthering their arts education opportunities.
PARB RESPONSE: loved this image. No comments for change.
1
Date: April 15, 2024
To: Craig Veramay
City of San Rafael – Public Art Review Board
RE: Proposal “Art with a Purpose”
Project of the San Rafael Leadership Institute Class of 2024
The San Rafael Business Improvement District is proud to support the Project Proposal of the
San Rafael Leadership Institute – Class of 2024. The San Rafael Leadership Institute, a
program of the San Rafael Chamber of Commerce, is a highly regarded leadership
development and team-building program in Marin County.
The Downtown San Rafael Business Improvement District (BID) stands as a beacon of
community dedication, not only committed to the economic prosperity of its downtown corridor
but also fostering a vibrant artistic atmosphere. Established in 1979 as a 501 C(6) nonprofit
corporation, the BID has continually championed the revitalization of the area, promoting the
common interests of Downtown businesses while nurturing the flourishing arts scene that
defines California's designated art districts. Through initiatives aimed at enhancing streetscape
aesthetics, dynamic marketing and promotional efforts, and the organization of special events,
the BID not only advocates for factors crucial to economic vitality but also actively fosters an
environment where art thrives, ensuring that the cultural heartbeat of the community remains
strong.
This year’s Class Project focuses on connecting with community residents through art. The
project will be working with local artists to paint six Utility Box structures throughout the City of
San Rafael. The art itself will improve the beautification of San Rafael but the topics/issues
explored with each artist’s rendering will also include access to resources for the community
(e.g. workforce development, racial equity & diversity, disaster preparedness,
sustainability/recycling) by incorporating QR codes that will lead residents to these resources.
We’re very excited about the possibilities for this project as a model for future art installations in
San Rafael and we support this project.
Sincerely,
Terrance Thornton
San Rafael BID President
April 18, 2024
To: Craig Veramay
City of San Rafael – Public Art Review Board
RE: Proposal “Art with a Purpose”
Project of the San Rafael Leadership Institute Class of 2024
Dear Craig:
Youth in Arts is delighted to endorse the Project Proposal of the San Rafael Leadership Institute
– Class of 2024. Run by the San Rafael Chamber of Commerce, this program is celebrated for
fostering leadership skills and team cohesion in Marin County.
Youth in Arts, as a committed community nonprofit, dedicates itself to delivering equitable arts
education across all San Rafael City Schools. This mission is deeply intertwined with the broader
goal of cultivating community through art. By integrating arts into the everyday lives of
students and residents, Youth in Arts not only enhances educational outcomes but also fosters
a sense of shared identity and belonging within the community. This project aligns seamlessly
with our goal of making art accessible and meaningful, ensuring it serves as a catalyst for
conversation, education, and unity.
This year, the Class Project aims to engage community members through the medium of art,
collaborating with local artists to transform six utility boxes across San Rafael into vibrant public
artworks. These artworks will not only enhance the city’s aesthetic but also serve as
informational hubs. Each piece will explore themes such as workforce development, racial
equity and diversity, disaster readiness, and sustainability. This will be achieved by integrating
QR codes that direct viewers to vital community resources. We are thrilled about the potential
of this initiative to set a precedent for future art installations in San Rafael, and we
wholeheartedly support this endeavor.
With deepest gratitude,
Morgan Schauffler
Director of External Affairs
917 C Street
San Rafael, CA 94901
415.457.4878
youthinarts.org
yia@youthinarts.org
Kristen Jacobson
Executive Director
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Naomi Tamura
President
Tim Distler
Treasurer
Sarita Patel
Secretary
Jane Burkhard
Dr.Orin Carpenter
Devin Dixon
Lorenzo Jones
Kathleen Newsom
Lara Treharne-Jones
Suzanne Reich
Sheila Tuffanelli