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There’s a public art boom going on in Santa Maria. It includes brightly painted utility boxes and murals celebrating the town’s culture and heritage.
Dennis Smitherman, who oversees public art for the Santa Maria Department of Recreation and Parks, said art is on the rise in the city. He coordinates the Utility Box Art project, which features the work of local artists on the city’s utility boxes with themes of Santa Maria.
The Box Art project began in 2017 and, to date, utility boxes are painted with strawberries, wildflowers, dancers, wine, and more. The newest phase of the project is now in progress.