On Friday, November 3, City Council Member David Ryu announced he will sponsor art projects on curbside utility boxes in his district, using discretionary funds to award up to $250 per utility box. The goal is to support local artists while bringing more artwork to the streets of Council District 4.
Artists who want to apply for the grant can submit their design to [email protected] after reviewing the full program requirements. (A map of eligible boxes is also included.) Designs must be community appropriate, and are encouraged in commercial zones. More guidelines are available from the Department of Transportation.
All proposed utility box art work must be approved by DOT first and notification will be provided to local neighborhood groups of upcoming artwork. All utility boxes in purely residential areas must be approved by the local neighborhood council before they can be painted.
Ryu said in a statement on Friday, “There are few places more fitting for a project like this than Council District Four – a place of beautiful communities and creative talent that will only be made more beautiful by turning utility boxes into public works of art.”
