Rules Committee forwards Mary Jung’s appointment to Arts Commission after testimony on grants and artist displacement

The Rules Committee recommended the mayor’s appointment of Mary Jung to the San Francisco Arts Commission on May 10 after hearing her describe decades of volunteer and civic work and receiving multiple endorsements.

Mary Jung told the committee she has led volunteer efforts including the Welcome Home Project, which supplies new housewares and small appliances to families transitioning to permanent housing. She said the Arts Commission’s responsibilities range from administering grants to managing public art programs and emphasized outreach to smaller community groups. “World class cities should have world class cultural institutions,” Jung said, explaining her belief that civic support for the arts should reach people across neighborhoods.

Supervisors pressed Jung on the longstanding funding tension between large cultural institutions and grassroots organizations. Jung said she would use the Commission’s grant cycle and outreach to ensure diverse groups are represented, work with staff to understand grant processes, mentor smaller groups on application requirements, and look for operational changes that improve fairness. She also said she intends to pay attention to artist displacement and is already talking to property owners and staff about land-use opportunities where the Commission can help.

The committee received letters and in‑chamber testimony from elected‑office staff and arts and neighborhood leaders supporting Jung’s appointment. Supervisor Yi moved the positive recommendation to the full Board; the committee approved the motion without objection. The item will appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda for confirmation.