Santa Maria Sun / Art

City of Santa Maria seeks local artists to beautify utility boxes

By Caleb Wiseblood

The city of Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department is currently accepting applications from local artists who would like to help beautify five different traffic signal control boxes located throughout town. Artists are encouraged to pitch artworks based on themes that tie to Santa Maria’s social, cultural, and/or historical identity. Applications (with templates for artists’ proposed box designs) are available online at cityofsantamaria.org/recreation and are due no later than 5 p.m. on March 17.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CITY OF SANTA MARIA RECREATION AND PARKS DEPARTMENT

Both Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo County residents are eligible to apply. Each artist chosen will receive a stipend of $500 and up to $250 as reimbursement for material costs. Once the five utility boxes are beautified, photographs of the boxes will be added to the city’s public art tour website (cityofsantamaria.org/art). 

This public art program is made possible by contributions from PLAY Inc., Tri-W Enterprises, MBL Landscape Architect, and JD Humann Landscape. For more details on the program and its application process, reach the city of Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department directly at (805) 925-0951, Ext. 2260.