Belmont plans centennial public‑art program; murals, installations and an art collaborative proposed

Belmont Parks and Recreation staff and a summer intern presented a preliminary plan on July 16 for a multi-site public-art program to mark the city’s 2026 centennial, proposing murals, installations and a standing public-art collaborative to oversee artist selection and stewardship.

Yu Chen, Parks and Recreation intern, presented three guiding themes for the program — community and collaboration, nature and environment, and education and legacy — and proposed a roster of candidate sites including Twin Pines Park as an anchor installation, the Caltrain‑fronting lot on Old County Road, a Ralston Avenue timeline mural, the train underpass and walls near the Belmont Library. Chen said the proposal is intentionally site‑responsive and community driven: “The final vision will remain flexible in terms of the actual medium … the overarching goal is to create an experience that feels site responsive,” Chen said.

Structure and process: Chen and staff proposed forming a public-art collaborative (a subcommittee modeled on the city’s public-art program) composed of city staff, local artists, students and community members. The committee would run an open call for artists, shortlist finalists and approve site‑specific designs. The schedule presented calls for an open call in fall 2025, fabrication in spring 2026 and a series of unveilings and a centennial celebration in summer 2026.

Funding and maintenance: Parks staff said Belmont maintains a public-art fee collected from private development (typically a small percent of qualifying projects or an in-lieu payment when on-site art is not provided). Staff indicated available funds and CIP allocations could support several mural projects and that the program will include anti‑graffiti coatings and maintenance planning.

Community participation: The plan proposes a mixture of professional commissions and participatory pieces — for example, a youth mural to be created at the Aug. 9 Barrett open‑house that could be preserved or archived for display in the new community center. Commissioners encouraged a broad call that includes local high‑school and college artists and suggested a digital, archive or mosaic component to widen participation beyond large mural canvases.

Next steps: Staff will recruit members for the public-art collaborative, finalize potential sites, issue an open call for artists and bring a costed implementation plan to the commission. Staff asked commissioners and community groups to help publicize the Aug. 9 Barrett open‑house and to identify local artists and school arts programs for outreach.

Ending: Commissioners praised the proposal’s themes and encouraged staff to expand outreach to schools and neighboring jurisdictions where property owners’ permission may be required for site work. A formal project charter and artist selection process will return for commission review.