ESCONDIDO — The city has adopted its second annual strategic plan to expand public art throughout the community.
The City Council formally adopted its first Public Art Strategic Plan and the fiscal year 2024-25 Annual Work Plan in May 2024. The plan sought to use public art as a “catalyst” for economic growth by enhancing Escondido’s visual landscape and strengthening its identity as a “thriving arts community.”
The work plan provides a framework to guide public art initiatives. Under the plan, the Public Art Commission must establish a two- or three-member subcommittee to recommend projects, programs, and budgets to the full commission.
The plan outlines four key areas:
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New art solicitation: Determines medium, location, theme and funding.
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Art education: Defines goals, audiences, type of education and funding.
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Maintenance: Reviews the city’s art inventory, identifies needs and funding.
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Deaccessioning: Examines contracts and records to determine which pieces should be removed.
In its first year, the plan supported several projects:
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Launch of the city’s Public Art Maps and C.R.E.A.T.E. Tool, which allows the public to add information about art in the city.
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Celebration of the city’s first Arts, Culture and Creativity Month in April, including $50,000 in grants awarded to nine projects.
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A fourth-year partnership with the Escondido Union High School District to paint murals on city-owned buildings at Washington Park. The latest piece, “The Surfing Shrimp,” was designed by Del Lago Academy junior Jessica Huynh and completed with the help of students Stephen Lucido, Christina Huynh, Ethan Brecht, and Diego Vicente, along with Valley High School teacher Charlie Mejia and Orange Glen High School teacher Aled Anaya. None of the murals have been vandalized.
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Escondido Expressions reached a milestone with 20 painted traffic signal boxes across the city.
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Two new murals were installed: “Bellas Rosas” by Mejia, replacing a deteriorating piece on the Best Little Hair House at 332 E. 2nd Avenue, and “Hummingbirds Jubilee” by Brenda Townsend on the side of Tamales Jovita, 158 W. Grand Avenue.
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Hiring of a part-time staff member at Queen Califia’s Magical Circle in Kit Carson Park to expand art education and programming. City public art funds do not fund the position.
Several new projects are planned under the 2025-26 work plan, unanimously approved by the City Council on Aug. 20.
“We built a foundation that I think is going to allow us to do so much this year,” said Public Art Commissioner Carol Rogers.
The city will seek an artist for the Grand Avenue Roundabout Art Project, which will feature a centerpiece at the intersection of Grand Avenue and Broadway, accompanied by companion pieces throughout the city. The theme is “Authentically Escondido.”
Plans also include murals and sculptures along the Escondido Creek Trail with a flora and fauna theme, new artwork for traffic signal boxes, and community-requested projects. Art, Culture and Creativity Month will return in April with more grants and activities, along with continued student murals, a student-designed banner program, and the opening of a temporary visitor center near Queen Califia.
Mayor Dane White and other council members praised the plan.
“This is one of those things where you can see the investments throughout the entire city, so it’s pretty exciting,” White said, noting the April programming. “This is an excellent work plan. I can see you guys worked very hard on it, so thank you for that. I’m excited to see what happens toward the end of that, and what this sets the stage for in the future.”
Councilmember Joe Garcia suggested creating a large “Escondido” mural that “expresses who we are, that’s iconic and creative and inspiring, and put together by local artists” to further promote the city as an art destination.
No art maintenance is planned for the coming year as funding sources still need to be identified.
Economic Development Director Jennifer Schoeneck said staff is working with the commission to find “creative ways to fund public art” and intends to include maintenance in next year’s work plan. She added that the city is also exploring a process for property owners to register their walls for future murals through the public art map.
