The City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture administers the Public Art Program which includes the following:

• Providing oversight for the inclusion of public artworks in eligible Capital Improvement Program projects and Redevelopment projects;
• Providing technical assistance for developers and reviewing proposed plans for artworks and/or space for cultural use in eligible private development projects;
• Advising on the acquisition, placement, maintenance, or removal of public artworks on City-owned property;
• Administering the City's art collection;
• Developing public art policies;
• Providing technical assistance for artists;
• Administering competitions for the selection of artists;
• Providing public art planning, education and outreach.

Special Meeting Agendas and Event Notices

(For information about the Public Art Committee scroll down.)

Opportunities for Artists and Art Consultants

If you are an artist or art consultant who would like to receive emails about new opportunities offered by the City of San Diego, please submit your contact information via email to cjones@sandiego.gov. We occasionally share our list of artists and art consultants with other organizations which offer additional opportunities.

• Information about Painted Utility Boxes (PDF: 9K)

Technical Assistance for Artists

• Tip Sheet: How to Create a Simple Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation (PDF: 42K)
• Tip Sheet: How to Resize a Digital Image in Microsoft Photo Editor (PDF: 42K)

Public Art Committee

The Public Art Committee (PAC), a subcommittee of the Commission for Arts and Culture (Commission), is comprised of a diverse group of leaders in the fields of visual art and design, neighborhood leaders, and other qualified professionals. The PAC makes recommendations and advises the Commission on policies, procedures and general issues pertaining to public art.

• Public Art Committee Meeting Agenda for December 4, 2008 (PDF: 47K)
• 2009 Public Art Committee Schedule (PDF: 47K)
• 2008 Public Art Committee Members (PDF: 9.25K)
• 2008 Public Art Committee Member Biographies (PDF: 54K)
• Public Art Committee Minutes - December, 2008 (PDF: 102K)
• Public Art Committee Minutes - September, 2008 (PDF: 101K)

North Embarcadero Visionary Plan Public Art Committee (NEVP PAC)

For the duration of the execution of the North Embarcadero Visionary Plan (NEVP), the NEVP Public Art Committee (PAC) is responsible for making recommendations to the Joint Powers Authority (JPA) Board about the selection of artists and artworks and for advising the JPA Board on policies and procedures that support the NEVP Public Art Plan throughout the implementation of each phase of the NEVP. The NEVP PAC is also responsible for advising the private developers of other sites within the area on policies and procedures that support the NEVP Public Art Plan. The NEVP PAC shall be supported by arts administration staff from each of the JPA agencies: Centre City Development Corporation, Port of San Diego and City of San Diego. The NEVP PAC is composed of nine voting members, three representatives for each JPA agency.

• NEVP Public Art Committee Handbook (PDF: 50K)
• Appendix A - NEVP Schematic Design Public Art Process - August 5, 2003 (PDF: 11K)
• Appendix B - North Embarcadero Public Art Plan - June 9, 2005 (PDF: 27MB)

Public Art Projects Completed and In Progress

• See Our Latest Public Art Installations

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Artwork, Sponsored by Caltrans, Artist Team: Philip Matzigkeit and Judy Baca, Status: Design in progress.

East Village Park, Sponsored by Centre City Development Corporation, Artist Team: Po Shu Wang and Louise Bertelsen, Status: Design has been approved. On hold for construction.

Serra Mesa - Kearny Mesa Branch Library Education Space, Sponsored by the First Five Commission of San Diego, Artist Team: Kipp Kobayashi, Noel Korten, Donna Beveridge, Status: Design in progress.

Fire Station 45 Mission Valley, Artist Team: Steve Gillman and Katherine Keefer, Status: Design has been approved. On hold for construction.

Fire Station 22 Point Loma, Artist: Roberto Delgado, Status: Design in progress.

La Jolla Shores Lifeguard Tower, Artist: Mary Lynn Dominguez, Status: Design has been approved. On hold for construction.

South Mission Beach Lifeguard Tower, Artist Team: Roman de Salvo, Status: Design in progress.

Central Police Facility, Artist: Kim Emerson, Status: Design has been approved. On hold for construction.

Storm Drain Monitoring Utility Boxes, Artist: Neal Bociek, Status: Construction documents in progress.

Logan Heights Branch Library, Artist: Roberto Salas, Status: Construction in progress.

Mission Hills Branch Library, Artist: Cork Marcheschi, Status: Design in progress.

New Main Library, Artists: Donald Lipski, Einar and Jamex de la Torre, Gary Hill, Roy McMakin, Ingrid Calame, Status: Designs have been approved. On hold for construction.

Miramar Water Treatment Plant, Artist: Robin Brailsford, Status: Construction in progress.

Public Art Policy: Art in Capital Improvement Projects

• Council Policy - 900-11 Inclusion of Public Art in Selected Capital Improvement Program and Redevelopment Agency Projects

Art in Private Development

• Municipal Code: Chapter02, Article06, Division07: Commission for Arts and Culture
• Developer/Applicant Guide to the City of San Diego Public Art Ordinance Requirements (PDF: 89K)
• Public Art Consultant Roster (PDF: 31K)

Public Art Master Plan

• Public Art Master Plan, March 2004 (PDF: 5.3MB)

For more information on the Public Art Program, contact Dana Springs, Public Art Program Manager at dsprings@sandiego.gov.