The City of Santa Maria is asking local artists to showcase their work in a unique way – on 15 utility boxes around the city.
"They're these gray boxes that sit on the side of the road often tagged with graffiti or an eyesore as they're just a large metal box," said Dennis Smitherman, the Recreation Services Manager for the City.
He says that the artworks don’t just brighten up a commute – it also serves as a way to reduce graffiti on the boxes.
"Artists whether you're a street artist or a muralist tend to respect each others work and there tends to be less graffiti on those that already have artwork on it," he explained.
Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo County residents that are 18 years of age or older are eligible to enter.
Selected artists will receive a $1000 stipend and up to $250 material costs and the deadline to submit application packets is 5:00 p.m., Friday, July 7, 2023.
Download the application and Box Art design template at the City’s website: www.cityofsantamaria.org/recreation
