Santa Rosa committee approves 10 public artworks and five alternates for temporary Art Walk

A City of Santa Rosa selection committee on a special meeting unanimously approved the selection of 10 artworks and five alternates for a temporary Art Walk that organizers plan to install across downtown locations including Railroad Square and Santa Rosa Plaza.

A city staff member who presented the recommendations said the program was funded earlier this year with a $75,000 expenditure plan and that the call for entries attracted wide interest: “We opened up a call for art from March 13 through April 30, ... We had 102 applications received through the call for entry platform, and we had 7 applications received through email,” the staff member said during the presentation.

The approved program will award each selected artist a $5,000 stipend, paid as $3,000 at installation and $2,000 at deinstallation; the exhibition is planned to remain on public display for approximately two years. The staff member also described installation logistics: sculptural works will be mounted on poured concrete pads fabricated in-house where appropriate, and some sites outside city property (for example, locations in Railroad Square or Santa Rosa Plaza) will require property-owner approvals.

The selection panel recommended a diverse slate of work, including kinetic, light-based and reclaimed-material pieces. The presenter told the committee the jury of seven represented downtown stakeholders, Railroad Square, Santa Rosa Plaza, local arts organizations and members of the city and arts community. The staff member said the panel evaluated submissions for the project theme of “urban renewal” and on criteria including creativity, community impact, sustainability and durability.

Committee members discussed siting concerns, connections across the downtown footprint and the potential need to coordinate with Caltrans or SMART-related property for pieces placed near the freeway or transit station. Committee member Sharon Edelson said the taller pieces could serve as visual anchors near the SMART train stop, noting placement where arriving riders could see them. Committee member Veil Faulkner raised a procedural question about whether an artist could receive two installments if both of their pieces were chosen; the presenter clarified that two pieces by the same artist would be counted among the ten selections and would not change the stipend count.

The committee’s formal motion to approve the selection panel’s recommendations was moved by Committee member Veil Faulkner; the second was not clearly recorded in the transcript. The recording secretary read back the motion as to “approve the selection committee’s recommendations for artworks for the temporary art block,” and voting was recorded as follows: Sharon Edelson — Aye; Vice Chair Keefer — Aye; Committee member Fuentes — Aye; Committee member Trey Pascasse — Aye. The motion passed unanimously.

Next steps described by staff include contacting artists to confirm availability, securing insurance and beginning contracts and W-9 paperwork. The presenter said staff would begin mapping potential locations and return to the committee in July or August with recommended siting, marketing and educational programming. Installations are targeted to begin as early as September, with a goal of completing installs and launching the program by year-end depending on permitting, contracts and concrete work schedules.

The committee’s approval covers the 10 recommended artworks and five alternates; staff will confirm which alternates will be used if any selected works are unavailable. No ordinance, statute or other legal authority was cited in the meeting transcript; approvals recorded were internal committee action to move forward with the publicly funded temporary installation.