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The City of Flagstaff and Arizona Public Services (APS) have partnered in a pilot program to turn 10 utility cabinets into stunning works of art. To celebrate the collaboration, the city and APS held a ribbon cutting ceremony on March 25th, unveiling a newly wrapped cabinet at the entrance to Sinagua Middle School.
Photo courtesy of Flagstaff City
Building on the city’s highly successful traffic light cabinet program, the initiative continues to transform utilitarian cabinets into colorful, community-centric art.
Now in its fifth year, the program has introduced a variety of designs to the Flagstaff streetscape, ranging from imaginative scenes of Northern Arizona plants and fauna to playful abstract compositions. Made from durable vinyl, the artistic wrap is designed to last up to five years, offering the added advantage of graffiti and deterring vandalism.
“The program enhances Flagstaff’s unique character, nurtures neighborhood pride and presents the incredible talent of emerging artists and existing artists,” said Jana Weldon, Arts and Sciences Program Manager, Flagstaff Beautification City. “We are excited to work with APS to expand this initiative and bring more creativity to our community.”
“APS is excited to partner with the City of Flagstaff on this program to transform the electric cabinet into a lively canvas,” said Janet Dean, APS Public Relations Manager.
“In addition to displaying local artist designs in a unique way, the Public Art Project celebrates the beauty of Northern Arizona and the dynamic community.”
The city issues annual calls to artists, invites amateur and professional artists, graphic designers and illustrators to submit original designs for the utility cabinet. One of these calls is currently open for submissions until April 15th. The design is reviewed by a panel of community members who live and work near the cabinet location, selected based on artistic merit and site specificity. The final recommendations have been approved by the city’s Beautification & Public Arts Committee.
Funding for the project will be provided by Flagstaff Beds, Boards and Beverages (BBB) ​​Tax, which supports community glorification and public art. Please see more information about the program and how to participate flagstaff.az.gov/4411.
Read detailed mountain range stories about the traffic lights on Z.com.
