CITY OF SAN RAFAEL

Public Art Program

About the Program

The City of San Rafael has launched a Public Art Program to enhance Downtown vitality and celebrate the city’s cultural identity. Funded by a $250,000 California Arts Council grant that is geographically bound for the Downtown Arts District, the program will bring five new public art installations—including murals, mosaics, and sculptures—to highly visible locations across Downtown in the Spring/Summer of 2026.

The program aims to: 

  • Enhance San Rafael’s identity as the arts hub of Marin County. Contemporary art is important for this goal.

  • Attract culturally responsive & artistically significant visual art projects for permanent installations Downtown.

  • Increase the economic vitality of Downtown. 

  • Celebrate diversity and creativity through public art. 

    The program is facilitated by the arts consultancy agency Local Edition Creative, with guidance from the Downtown San Rafael Arts District (DSRAD) steering committee.

Public Participation

In June 2025, the San Rafael City Council authorized the Public Art Program. The City of San Rafael and Local Edition Creative announced a call for artists that ended at the end of July. In August, the steering committee reviewed applications and selected semi-finalists.

The public is invited to follow the process and provide feedback on the semi-finalist proposals. You can view the proposals and share your input through digital surveys and in-person review events during the public comment period from October 20th to November 3rd, 2025.

The steering committee will review all proposals and take all public comments into account before selecting the final designs. After that, the Public Art Review Board will look at the final designs in Winter 2026. The San Rafael City Council with then give final approval.

The artworks are expected to be installed by Summer 2026 and enjoyed by all.

Community input is central to this project. Opportunities include:

  • June 2025 - City Council authorizes the Public Art Program

  • Fall 2025 – Online surveys and in-person events to review draft designs

  • Winter 2025/26 – Public Art Review Board meeting to consider final proposals

  • Jan/Feb 2026 – San Rafael City Council review and approval of artworks

VIEW PROPOSALS & TAKE SURVEY HERE

Public Comment Period

October 20, 2025 - November 03, 2025

In-Person Proposal Viewing

Monday, 10/20/25 @ 4pm through
Friday, 10/24/25 @ 2pm
City Hall Lobby - 1400 5th Ave., San Rafael
Lobby Hours: 8:30am - 5pm
Extended Hours on Monday, 10/20 for City Council meeting beginning @ 6pm

Friday, 10/24/25, 5pm-7pm
Pond Farm Brewing Co.
1848 4th St., San Rafael

Saturday, 10/25/25, 1pm-3pm
Trick-or-Treat on Fourth Street
City Plaza - 1000 4th St., San Rafael

Saturday, 10/25/25 through
Wednesday, 11/05/25
Storefront Window Display
1002 4th St., San Rafael

Questions

For questions regarding the public art proposals, please contact info@localeditioncreative.com

For general questions regarding the public art program, please contact stacey.laumann@cityofsanrafael.org

Project Locations

Five city-owned sites have been identified for artwork installations:

  1. C Street @ 3rd Street Garage

  2. 2nd Street @ Ida Street Retaining Wall

  3. City Plaza – 1000 4th Street

  4. 2nd & 4th Street Gateway

  5. Outside City Hall

Project Timeline

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The Downtown San Rafael Arts District (DSRAD) collaborates with local arts leaders, businesses, city officials, and community members to create a vibrant and engaging environment that promotes well-being, equity, and inclusivity through the arts.

    Visit DSRAD.org or the California Cultural Districts

    Downtown San Rafael is designated one of 14 California Cultural Arts Districts by the California Arts Council (CAC) and has received a critical grant of financial support for this project. California Cultural Districts “celebrate the diversity of California while unifying under an umbrella of shared values—helping to grow and sustain authentic grassroots arts and cultural opportunities, increasing the visibility of local artists and community participation in local arts and culture, and promoting socioeconomic and ethnic diversity.”

    Get connected with the Downtown San Rafael Arts District!

  • Local Edition Creative is an award-winning arts consulting and production agency with experience delivering impactful public art projects across the Bay Area. They partner with municipalities, businesses, and artists to produce meaningful arts and culture experiences.

  • The process includes: 

    1. Call for Artists – Between June 27 and July 25, 2025, an open call for artists was published on the Call For Artist Entry (CaFÉ) website. The call is now closed, however information is still available at the links below.   

    2. Jury Review – Arts District steering committee and community arts leaders evaluated artists and selected a shortlist of candidates. 

    3. Semifinalist Designs – The semifinalists were invited to develop site-specific proposals for one of the five locations. Link to Jury Selection Criteria.  

    4. Public Input – Semifinalist designs will be available for public view and comment via a digital portal. Feedback will be shared with the artists. 

    5. Final Selection – The Jury recommends artists and designs to the Public Art Review Board, then City Council for approval. 

  • All sites are city-owned, high-visibility areas that are accessible to the public and feasible for installation within the grant’s timeline.

This activity is supported in part by the California Arts Council, a state agency. Learn more at www.arts.ca.gov.

info@localeditioncreative.com

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