A utility box on Soquel Avenue in Santa Cruz has been painted by a local artist as part of a utility box wrap program to beautify such otherwise static objects around Santa Cruz County. (Photo by Tarmo Hannula)

In hopes of making downtown Watsonville more attractive in order to promote tourism and attract new businesses, the city is considering creating a public art program.

The idea will be unveiled at Tuesday’s City Council meeting during the Economic Development Strategy session, scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. on the fourth floor of the Civic Plaza. The strategy session will review the Community Development Department’s role in Watsonville’s economic development and examine the city’s efforts thus far at creating economic opportunities and revitalizing downtown business and its plans going forward.

Key to those plans is creating a more attractive downtown.

The proposed program would build on the already-successful downtown mural program. In addition to murals, there would be art displays in vacant storefronts, public sculptures, art-in-the-park events and other artistic endeavors such as decorating utility boxes, which is already being done in Santa Cruz.

For the complete article see the 03-20-2010 issue.

Click here to purchase an electronic version of the 03-20-2010 paper.

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