Calexico City Council approves Utility Box Art Project
CALEXICO – Calexico will soon see nine beautified utility boxes in specific intersections after the Calexico City Council recently approved the Calexico Utility Box Art Project during a regular meeting.
Per the agenda staff report, the city council had two options to vote regarding providing or not providing monetary compensation for artists. On Wednesday, February 15, the council voted on the first option, which provides monetary compensation, adopts the project’s forms and guidelines, approves the call for artwork, authorizes the City Manager to execute agreements or any documentation of the project, and adopts a budget amendment resolution for Fund No. 223 – Art in Public Places for $18,800.
A stipend of $200 will be given to selected artists for their designs. They will be required to possess a valid social security number to obtain a city vendor number, reside in the city, and be over the age of 18, per the document.
The Utility Box Art Project is designed to create a more vibrant and attractive cityscape by transforming utility boxes into distinctive works of art, per the document.
The nine utility boxes included in this project are at the intersections of Cole Boulevard and Rockwood Avenue, Cole Boulevard and Andrade Avenue, Cesar Chavez Boulevard and Grant Street, Cole Boulevard and Sunset Boulevard, Cole Boulevard and Portico Boulevard, Cole Boulevard and Rancho Frontera Avenue, Second Street and Cesar Chavez Boulevard, Second Street and Gran Plaza Way, and Second Street and Gran Plaza Circle.
As previously reported by this newspaper on December 15, the item presented by Calexico Recreation Manager Norma Gerardo during a regular meeting on December 7, and was then tabled to clarify some of the project’s terms. In said meeting, the city council provided direction to the staff in terms of opening the artist search only to Calexico residents, including all nine city-owned boxes at once, and installation of artwork via vinyl wrapping versus hand painted works, per the document.
The project’s artistic themes are “kindness, encouragement, hope, and/ or life,” acknowledging the unique bond of our community as it comes together after difficult times, per the document.
According to the tentative project schedule, the call for artwork is in effective as of February 17, with the deadline to submit proposals being March 17. Selection and artist notification will be on May 4 and the installation of the art will be completed by October 31, 2023.