Poetry project finalists selected

The public could soon see some sidewalks adorned with original poetry written by members of the community after the Arts Commission approved finalists and potential locations Thursday.

The commission approved 10 poems and nine locations across the Santa Clarita Valley during its regular meeting last week as part of the 2019 Sidewalk Poetry Project, a new public art project in the Arts Commission’s work plan and public art proposal.

Sidewalk Poetry aims to have a series of original poems stamped on sidewalks throughout Santa Clarita by spring or summer.

“This project is part of the Public Works sidewalk rehabilitation program and shows a great partnership between Public Works and the art department,” said Jennifer Thompson, arts and events administrator with the city. “Sidewalks that are deemed unsafe will be fixed and (workers) will then put a poem on there.”

The city’s art website, santaclaritaarts.com, garnered more than 280 submissions for the contest which had a theme of “Poetry of Place — let the Santa Clarita landscape and the built environment be your inspiration.”

An artists selection committee, formed by members of the Arts Commission, local artists and art administrators, selected poems to recommend to the arts commissioners.

Public Works will cover the project’s cost from the funding allocated for the existing sidewalk rehabilitation project, according to an agenda report.

With approval from the Arts Commission, the City Council will soon review the selected artists and decide whether to authorize Public Works to stamp the poems on the selected sidewalks.

Selected winners in the 2019 competition are set to be honored at a dedication ceremony, according to Thompson. Each stamped poem will be listed as a public art piece, along with its location, description and poet information, on the Public Art Tour app, found on santaclaritaarts.com.