San Rafael council approves $250,000 public art program for downtown

The San Rafael City Council voted unanimously June 23 to authorize the city manager to enter into a professional services agreement not to exceed $250,000 with Local Edition Creative to implement a new public art program in downtown San Rafael.

City staff say the program is funded by a California Arts Council grant tied to the city’s 2017 cultural district designation. "Our current grant total from the California Arts Commission is $709,890," Stacy Lauman, the city’s economic development program manager, told the council, and staff proposed using about $250,000 (roughly 32% of the cultural district grant) for the public art program.

The program calls for permanent and rotating works — murals, mosaics and sculpture — at five publicly owned downtown locations inside the downtown precise plan area. Project costs are broken out in staff materials as $50,000 for project management and $200,000 for creation and installation of art, including artist calls, community engagement and site preparation. Local Edition Creative was selected from nine applicants after a request-for-proposals process in January 2025.

Stakeholders described the program as part of a larger Downtown San Rafael Arts District strategic plan that aims to increase visitation and economic activity. "The goal of the public art program as conceived to date is to support economic development through creative place making, enhance awareness of San Rafael as that arts hub, and engage stakeholders and really draw attention and people to our downtown area," Lauman said.

Local Edition founders said they expect a California-focused artist call with concentric outreach (San Rafael, Marin County, Bay Area, then statewide) to attract a mix of local and regional artists. The firm’s representatives described a timeline with a call for artists this summer, finalist selection, public outreach on conceptual designs, Public Art Review Board review, and council review of final proposals; installation is planned spring–summer 2026.

Council members asked about prioritizing local artists and whether vacant storefront windows could be used; staff said this program focuses on city-owned sites and that window-activation on private storefronts could be a parallel program. Morgan Shoffler of Youth and Arts spoke in support, noting prior grant-funded activities and the community benefits of added public art.

The council adopted the resolution authorizing the city manager to execute the agreement with Local Edition Marketing LLC by a 3–0 recorded vote (Council member Hill was absent at roll call).