An art glass façade and a monumental sculpture will adorn the new Downtown Connection Center set to open this spring.
The City of Flagstaff’s Beautification, Arts and Sciences program kicks off the New Year with momentum, expecting to complete more than 20 projects in 2025. Small-scale and large installations will continue to connect residents and visitors to their surroundings, turning everyday spaces into engaging landmarks and gathering points.
An art glass façade and a monumental sculpture will adorn the new Downtown Connection Center set to open this spring. Illuminated with lighting effects at night, the colorful glass over the entry lobby showcases designs of ponderosa pines and the Peaks with a superimposed mountain lion. Directly to the east, the sculpture entitled Southside Grove consists of weathered steel ponderosa pine trees with telescope inspired “trunks” and prism branches arranged in a circle. The trees represent the strong, interconnected Southside community. At the grove’s center sits a granite timetable to explore. The south trunk and timetable work together to mark the spring and fall equinoxes with a disc of sunlight at the center.
A new group of artists has been selected for the second year of the Multicultural County Park Sculpture Exhibition, which opens in May. Installed at the Elizabeth “Liz” C. Archuleta County Park, the project features striking steel, stone and wood sculptures by artists Oliverio Balcells, Isaac Caruso, Joe Ray, Lance Yazzie and Adrian Wall. The five large-scale artworks reflect diverse cultural representation and aim to spark conversation, encourage interaction and foster a deeper appreciation for art and culture. The project is a partnership between the City of Flagstaff and Coconino County and began as a conversation between the City of Flagstaff Beautification, Arts and Sciences and Indigenous Initiatives programs.
The city is set to expand its popular traffic signal cabinet art wraps, transforming utilitarian cabinets into vibrant, eye-catching works of art that add a pop of color and personality to city streets. Now entering its fifth year, this initiative showcases mostly local artists. The city and Arizona Public Service (APS) have entered into a pilot agreement to wrap 10 APS utility cabinets throughout the city. One or two call-to-artists will be issued in early 2025. Artists of all experience levels are invited to submit proposals.
Each spring and fall, artists, community members, nonprofits, schools and local businesses are invited to apply for a Beautification in Action (BIA) grant. This biannual grant program awards up to $7,500 for streetscape art and beautification, making our community more inviting, welcoming and memorable. From community gardens and benches to neighborhood paths and murals, BIA-supported initiatives revitalize local spaces, creating engaging and joyful experiences. The recently increased grant funding ensures that more neighborhoods can benefit.
Upcoming projects include murals at Dark Sky Brewing, Flagstaff CSA & Local Market, Culinary Concepts and the Cosmic Ray Tunnel at the Sheep Crossing Trail. The deadlines to apply for a BIA grant is March 15 and Sept. 15.
Beautification, Arts and Sciences will prioritize collections management and maintenance, cataloging the city’s public art collection on Public Art Archive (an online and mobile database of completed public artworks throughout the U.S. and abroad, https://publicartarchive.org/collections/The-City-of-Flagstaff-Public-Art-Collection), and ensure that existing artworks are maintained through cleaning and repairs. Select Flagstaff Monument Signs will undergo refurbishment, while Motion, a large-scale sculpture by artist Eric Ryan Simmons at Flagstaff Pulliam Airport will receive a fresh coat of paint to enhance its visual appeal. These efforts will ensure that public artworks remain impactful for years to come.
Remembrance and reflection is at the heart of Rustle, a large-scale sculpture by artist Beth Nybeck, which will be installed at Cleo Murdoch Park next fall. The eight-foot-tall artwork, whose form is inspired by a leaf, incorporates words from those connected to the Southside that is responsive to the inquiry: What should not be forgotten.
Finally, Beautification, Arts and Sciences will continue its partnership with Creative Flagstaff to support the arts and sciences non-profit sector with consequential operating and project grants to be distributed in 2025.
Beautification, Arts and Sciences grants and public art initiatives are funded through the dedicated Bed, Board and Beverage tax. FBN
By Cristen Crujido
Cristen Crujido is the project administrator for Beautification, Arts and Sciences at the City of Flagstaff.