At its meeting of February 18, the Sonoma City Council will review a recommendation of the city’s Cultural and Fine Arts Commission to improve the appearance of a number of large utility boxes by wrapping them in vinyl artwork by local artists. The staff report on the proposal is shown below.
The Cultural and Fine Arts Commission (CFAC) has long expressed interest in implementing public-facing art initiatives for the Sonoma community. The commission initially discussed the concept of a utility box artwork project in 2022 and began initial steps to create a framework for a pilot program in 2024. The Utility Box Art Wrap Pilot Program is the City’s first initiative using vinyl-wrapped artwork on public utility boxes to help beautify infrastructure, support local artists, and enhance community identity. The pilot program was designed to be scalable and manageable, enabling staff and the CFAC to test administrative processes ahead of potential future public art program expansion.
With the adoption of the updated Public Art Policy and Procedures by City Council on November 26, 2024, the CFAC was provided authority to recommend utilization of Public Art Funds to support temporary art installations. Following adoption of the policy, the CFAC formed an ad hoc committee to identify potential utility box locations, initiate cost estimates, and formulate an application process for artists to submit proposed artwork. During the summer of 2025, staff and the ad hoc committee initiated a call for artists which received design proposals from 16 artists, showcasing strong representation from Sonoma Valley and a strong interest in creative projects. The committee initially reviewed the submissions and began to work on determining which designs would not only be a good fit artistically but also transfer well onto the various utility boxes. Through this process, staff recognized that creating templates and installation services would require the support of a professional design and installation company.
On September 17, 2025, City Council approved a resolution authorizing staff to enter into a professional services agreement with a wrap manufacturer and installer, Fast Signs. Following council approval, Fast Signs and City staff collaborated to complete site-specific measurements and templates to accompany the selected artwork…