Dear friends,
I’m so excited to share that we will be continuing our magical partnership with the City of San Luis Obispo to deliver public art.
There is plenty of data that shows the essential value of public art. Research has shown that public art provides economic benefits, including new jobs and increased tourism. It is often used to address practical problems like safety and improving the walkability of neighborhoods.
However, one of the most meaningful effects of public art is that it fosters community ties and brings people together, it helps mark a time and a place. In thinking about this topic, I began searching my phone for memories that included public art – as you might imagine there are a few. Then I reached out to my family, and we had a ridiculously good time sharing these treasured memories back and forth. As Midwesterners our family has dozens of photos in front of the beloved “bean” (see below). Cloud Gate by Anish Kapoor, one of the world’s largest pieces of public art, was unveiled in Millennium Park in the heart of Chicago in 2006.
And who can forget at the very beginning of the pandemic in partnership with the City of SLO, SLOMA presented Laurie Shapiro’s Through the Flowers, which truly brightened a dark time for us all (also below, with a furry friend).
So as we renew our important partnership with the City of SLO, keep an eye out for what we’ll do next.
Leann Standish
SLOMA Executive Director
