San Francisco Arts Commission re-elects Collins, approves Union Square snake sculpture and arts initiatives

The San Francisco Arts Commission on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, unanimously re-elected Chuck Collins as president and Janine Chioda as vice president, approved a temporary snake sculpture to mark the Year of the Snake in Union Square and reviewed a range of director and committee reports on public art, exhibitions and conservation work.

The actions occurred at the commission’s regular meeting in City Hall’s Room 416 during an agenda that emphasized strategic planning as the commission and staff prepare for a mayoral transition. Director of Cultural Affairs Ralph Remington gave a report summarizing 2024 highlights, staffing changes and upcoming programs; committee chairs presented recent Civic Design Review and Visual Arts Committee work; and the commission approved its consent calendar.

Why it matters: the items approved affect public art installations, artist selection pools and pipeline projects that shape what residents and visitors see across the city — from Union Square to the San Francisco Public Library and the airport. Commissioners also framed the commission’s work within the agency’s land-acknowledgement statement and discussed opportunities to incorporate indigenous histories into future civic art.

The meeting opened with a roll call and the commission’s land-acknowledgement statement. The nominating committee, chaired by Commissioner Seth Brenzel, recommended re-nominating Collins and Chioda; the commission voted to approve those nominations unanimously after a committee report and brief commissioner remarks praising the pair’s leadership.

In his director’s…