Santa Rosa selects artists for two-year public art project funding each with $5000 stipend

The City of Santa Rosa's Art in Public Places Committee held a special meeting on June 9, 2025, to discuss the recent call for art and the selection process for new public artworks. The committee opened submissions from March 13 to April 30, receiving a total of 102 applications through an entry platform, along with 7 additional submissions via email due to technical difficulties.

A jury composed of seven members, representing various sectors including downtown, the Downtown Action Organization (DAO), Railroad Square, Santa Rosa Plaza, the city, and the local art community, convened to review the submissions. The jury met virtually in May and conducted an in-person meeting on June 4 for final selections. Up to ten artists will be chosen, with three alternates, each receiving a stipend of $5,000—$3,000 upon installation and $2,000 upon deinstallation. The selected artworks will be displayed for approximately two years.

The committee emphasized the importance of selecting artworks that fit well within the community and discussed potential locations for the installations, particularly focusing on enhancing connectivity between Railroad Square and Hilltown. All proposed artworks will require approval from relevant stakeholders if they are not situated on city property, underscoring the collaborative nature of the project.

This initiative aims to enrich Santa Rosa's public spaces with art that resonates with the community, while also ensuring that the selected pieces have appropriate and meaningful locations.