Public Art

Public Art

The City of San Rafael recognizes the critical value that public art provides to our community. Public art is accessible and free for all to enjoy. From providing cultural enrichment to driving economic development, public art plays an important role in developing thriving, vibrant communities. In 2017, the City of San Rafael’s Downtown corridor was selected as one of ten California Cultural Districts by the California Arts Council. The arts district provides a unique place to create and appreciate arts and culture – San Rafael arts partners provide programming for people to come together, make connections, and get involved in the larger community.

Recently, the City has experienced an increase in interest in public art projects from the community, with individuals and groups across the City exploring opportunities to develop public art projects. In response to this increase in demand, the City of San Rafael is looking to partner with and support those interested in pursuing public art projects.

To facilitate the public art approval process, the City has developed a Public Art Review Board and a streamlined Public Art Review Process.

Public Art Review Board

The Public Art Review Board is the entity appointed by the City Council to help administer the public art review process and to advise the City Council on public art installations. The Board meets quarterly to review public art applications.

The formation of the Board was approved by City Council on May 16, 2022. The meeting schedule for 2022 is still being finalized, and will be posted here when confirmed.

For more information on the Board, please visit this page.

Public Art Review Process

For those interested in submitting a proposal for art on public property, the City has developed the below Public Art Review Guidelines and Public Art Application Instructions, which outline the review process, the criteria that the Public Art Board uses to evaluate proposed projects, and the application requirements. Before submitting a proposal, applicants are encouraged to read the guidelines and the application instructions thoroughly.