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Board recommends youth-designed mural at Pickleweed Library for City Council review
Summary
The board voted to recommend a student-designed mural for the Pickleweed Library children’s room; Youth and Arts described a student-led process, paid mentorship, and plans to print the work on vinyl for a roughly 10-by-7-foot installation.
Acting board members recommended that City Council consider a proposal to install a youth-designed mural in the children’s room of the Pickleweed Library following the library’s renovation. At a regular meeting Oct. 15, staff framed the board’s role as a review body for permanent public artworks, and presented a submission from Youth and Arts for the board’s consideration.
Daniel Avalos, the library’s staff contact, introduced the proposal and said staff had already routed it through the Pickleweed advisory committee and received community support. "We wanted the mural to represent the youth of the Kanap neighborhood, and their voices to really come through in the elements that they chose to incorporate into the mural," he said.
Barbara Yupi Gomez, program manager at Youth and Arts, described the group’s intensive arts mentorship that produced the design. "Our program is primarily student led," she said, explaining the project involved five emerging artists, nine workshops and roughly 29 hours of student studio work. She said the final painted design was digitized by Black Cat Studios and will be printed on high-quality matte vinyl for professional installation.
Board members asked technical questions about installation and materials. Presenters said the vinyl adheres best to specific backings and that installation was handled by professional sign firms on prior projects; board members noted the approach had been used successfully for other local murals. Board members also highlighted the program’s paid stipends for youth participants — "they're all paid, I wanna say, $15.50," Youth and Arts said — and praised the mentorship and outreach aspects.
After discussion, a commissioner moved to recommend approval; the board voted in favor and staff confirmed the recommendation will be forwarded to City Council for the final decision. Staff said City Council review is required because the installation would be longer than one year and therefore considered a permanent public art installation.
The board’s recommendation does not itself authorize installation; if City Council approves the project, staff will proceed with contract, scheduling and installation logistics.
