Art in Public Places
Seeking to enrich the community and enhance civic pride
through the installation of art
More Art:
This City of Redding's Art in Public Places program is administered by the Community Services Department with input from the Art in Public Places Committee. Our mission is to augment public spaces throughout the city with works of art ranging from paintings, murals and outdoor sculptures to functional works integrated into architecture and community infrastructure. These additions aim to transform public works into artworks and public areas from the commonplace into sites reflecting the spirit of our dynamic community. With the inception of the National Endowment for the Arts in 1965, the modern public art program was born in the United States. Public art can be fashioned of bronze, brick, wood, steel, or fabric; it can be a mural, a sculpture, a park bench or a banner; it can be colorful or subdued, monumental or diminutive, utilitarian or decorative, in a building lobby, on a street corner or in a public park. Public art complements buildings, parks and plazas; creates a sense of place and enhances community identity; improves the design quality of public infrastructure; becomes thought-provoking cultural landmarks and provides a sense of community & cohesion.
Art in Public Places Committee
The City of Redding's Art in Public Places Committee was instituted in November 1998. This committee is charged with finding opportunities where public art can be incorporated into City projects and activities. The Committee's accomplishments run the gamut from decorative manhole covers to downtown street revitalizations to the selection of works for the various indoor and outdoor exhibitions at the Civic Center.
Art in City Hall
You might be surprised to learn that the largest art gallery in Redding is inside the Redding Civic Center. The Civic Center spans three stories, is approximately 100,000 SF and hosts over 500 feet of gallery railing. Since the program's inception, over 1,700 pieces of artwork from more than 140 artists have been exhibited.
The artwork on display at City Hall has been carefully selected, via an annual Call to Artists held each fall, to provide an engaging experience for your enjoyment. New exhibits are hung three times each year, typically in February, June and October, although this schedule is subject to change for special showings.
You can peruse our online gallery from previous shows.
If you would like to receive notification of future calls, please send your mailing address to mszynal@ci.redding.ca.us
The Sculpture Park at City Hall
A public sculpture park on the Civic Center campus logically expands the successful Art in City Hall program to the outdoors, while at the same time creating a new venue for special events.
The Sculpture Park at City Hall offers a mixture of permanent works and traveling exhibits displayed along a winding trail amidst water features and decorative plantings.
For more details, please visit The Sculpture Park at City Hall page.