FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 15, 2010

Media contact:                                                                                 

San Francisco Arts Commission

Tel: 415/252-4638

Department of Public Works

Tel: 415/554-6931

The San Francisco Arts Commission and the Department of Public Works to Sponsor a Mobile Free Wall Activity at Sunday Streets

SAN FRANCISCO – Building on the success of the StreetSmARTs program, which pairs urban artists with private property owners to create vibrant murals, the San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) and the Department of Public Works (DPW) have joined forces again to launch a Mobile Free Wall Activity pilot program. Debuting on September 19, 2010 at the Sunday Streets event in the Western Addition, the program provides temporary free areas where urban artists can ply their skills.  Notable urban artists will oversee Free Wall Activities to facilitate crowd participation. The activity is open to community members of all art backgrounds and levels. Artists and the public are encouraged to stop by the Free Wall and participate throughout the Sunday Streets event, which lasts from 10am to 3pm.

According to Director of Cultural Affairs for the San Francisco Arts Commission Luis R. Cancel, “The Free Wall Activity provides urban and aspiring artists with an opportunity to show their talent and creativity in a safe and legal manner. This program is a way of bringing urban artists and community members together to forge lasting, positive relationships that benefit our neighborhoods.”

“Free Walls are a great way for artists to express their art to the community while respecting our city and our neighborhoods.” said Mohammed Nuru, Deputy Director for Operations at DPW.  “We are developing and strengthening similar partnerships all over the city to help keep San Francisco a safe, beautiful, livable, and vibrant city.”

Chor Boogie, the artist who created The Color Therapy of Perception, the large-scale mural located on Market Street between 6th and 7th streets, will host the first Free Wall Activity at the intersection of Fillmore and Turk streets. The next activity takes place at the upcoming Sunday Streets event on Sunday, October 24 in the Civic Center and Tenderloin neighborhoods.

DPW and San Francisco’s Graffiti Advisory Board continue to develop new and innovative programs to reduce illegal graffiti vandalism. In addition to the Mobile Free Wall and the StreetSmARTs program, DPW and SFAC recently launched a school based program called ‘Where Art Lives,’ that educates youth about art and respecting public property, and teaches students that the difference between vandalism and art is owner permission. DPW also recently launched two new graffiti prevention initiatives: the Clean and Green Trucks program that pairs tagged up delivery truck owners with the City’s paint shop to reduce blight; and a Zero Graffiti Pledge Drive, where residents promise to abate and report graffiti. To get involved and sign the pledge, the public can go to www.zerograffitisf.org.

The Graffiti Advisory Board may explore expanding Mobile Free Walls and possibly installing permanent free walls. The Board is also looking into pursuing legislation that will encourage owners of vandalized trucks to clean them up.

About the San Francisco Arts Commission

Established by charter in 1932, the San Francisco Arts Commission is the City agency that champions the arts in San Francisco. Led by the belief that a creative cultural environment is essential to the City’s well-being, the Arts Commission programs permeate all aspects of City life. Programs include: Civic Art Collection, Civic Design Review, Community Arts & Education, Cultural Equity Grants, Public Art, SFAC Gallery, Street Artist Licensing, and Summer and the Symphony Concert Series.

Visit us at www.sfartscommission.org.

About the Department of Public Works (DPW)

DPW is responsible for the care and maintenance of San Francisco’s streets and much of its infrastructure. The department cleans and resurfaces streets; plants and maintains City street trees; designs, constructs and maintains city-owned facilities; inspects streets and sidewalks; constructs curb ramps; removes graffiti from public property; and partners with the diverse neighborhoods in San Francisco to provide stellar cleaning and greening services.

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