We value public art in our projects and believe that incorporating art brings an added dimension of interest and a focal point to new buildings, as it did for our Brio apartment community in Walnut Creek. 

– Katia Kamangar, SummerHill Homes; developers, Brio

Why Public Art?

Walnut Creek is one of over 350 towns and civic organizations in the United States that sponsor public art programs. Why? Public art makes our city more welcoming, vibrant and visually engaging. It inspires civic pride and helps define a city’s character to the outside world. And it can add value to your development. We work with private developers to help achieve public art projects that are meaningful and uplifting to the community.

The Walnut Creek Public Art Requirement 

The City of Walnut Creek requires developers of all new private construction or alteration projects to provide public art on site OR to contribute to the City’s Public Art Fund. 

For you, the developer, public art can make your project distinctive and appealing, adding value and character to your development while inspiring the community and your tenants.

Roslyn Mazzilli, Ascension, 1986. Photo courtesy of Shaun Roberts.

To meet the public art in private development requirement, you must either:

1. Install approved public art with a minimum value of 1% of the total building construction valuation at the project site (except where fee reductions are applicable), or
2. Pay an in lieu fee into the Public Art Fund. The fee must be equal to or greater than 1% of the total building valuation, as determined by the Chief Building Official. In lieu payments must be paid in full before the City will issue a Certificate of Occupancy. In lieu fees contributed to the Public Art Fund will be used to support public art projects initiated by the City for both civic and privately owned spaces in Walnut Creek, administered by the City’s Public Art Program.
   
   

Fee Reductions for Qualifying Development Projects

The City has reduced the fee requirement for onsite Public Art from 1% to 0.5% (one-half of one percent) of the construction or alteration costs for these types of projects: 

1. Underground and structured parking facilities, 
2. Buildings owned by 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations, or 
3. Hospitals 
   
   

Fee Exemptions

The following types of projects are not required to fulfill the public art requirement: 

1. Residential alterations 
2. Residential development projects of five or fewer dwelling units 
3. Residential development projects in which at least 90% of the dwelling units are restricted to very low, low, or moderate-income households (per federal guidelines) 
4. Alterations that involve less than 50% of the gross floor area of a building 
5. Alterations with a construction cost of less than $500,000 
6. Alterations by 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations where such non-profits do not own the building where the alterations are to occur
   
   

Questions? Contact the City’s Public Art Manager

Please contact the City's Public Art Manager, Marija Nelson Bleier, to verify whether your project qualifies for a fee reduction and to receive guidance on complying with the City of Walnut Creek’s Public Art Ordinance. 

Email: bleier@walnut-creek.org
Phone: 925.295.1472

DEVELOPERS GUIDE PDF

Cliff Garten, Liliales, 2016. Photo courtesy of Josh Isaacs.

Placing Art on Your Site

When choosing to place art on your project site, the developer selects the artist and the artwork. Developers work with a professional public art consultant to access a wide range of artist options and assist with project management to achieve the best results. Artwork sites, artists and concepts must be approved by the Arts Commission. Once the artwork is completed, the property owner is required to maintain the artwork so that it stays in its original condition for many years of enjoyment.

Eligible Art Forms

All public art projects must be commissioned from experienced, professional public artists, and must have artistic, one-of-a-kind elements added to the overall architecture or landscape design. All artwork must be publicly accessible. 

Projects that cannot be supported by the public art requirement include:

Temporary artwork; architect-designed elements of a building; mass-produced or editioned art objects; reproductions of artwork; directional elements such as signage not created by a professional visual artist; and landscape architecture/gardening, except as an integral part of a public artwork. 

Types of Art to Consider

Sculpture: Integrated relief, free-standing, wall-supported or suspended; kinetic, electronic; in any appropriate material or combination of materials. 

Brad Oldham and Christy Coltrin, The Bee Effect, 2022. Photo courtesy of Shaun Roberts.

Mixed Media: Earthworks, fiber works, waterworks, neon, glass, mosaics, or any combination of forms of media including sound, literary elements, holographic images, or hybrids of media and new genres. 

Jerome Kirk, Aris. 

Types of Art to Consider

Murals for Exterior Display: Murals are singular works of art in which all text, graphics, and design elements are related to the artistic design. 

Nigel Sussman, Where's Walnut Creek?, 2024. Photo courtesy of Shaun Roberts.

Unique Furnishings or Fixtures: Functional artwork creatively enhances public spaces by combining unique designs with practical purposes. Some examples include bicycle racks, gates, lighting, and seating.

Aileen Barr, Mosaic Benches, 2022. Photo courtesy of Shaun Roberts.

Barbara Grygutis, Regeneration, 2023. Photo courtesy of Steve Dolan.

Starting the Public Art Selection Process

Begin by contacting Marija Nelson Bleier, Public Art Manager, for direction on how to start your selection process. We strongly recommend that developers of eligible projects work with a professional art consultant, and we can provide referrals to qualified Bay Area consultants. The City’s Public Art Program staff can also provide professional art consultation services for a fee billed at an hourly rate.

Your Art Consultant Will Help You 

1. Find a range of talented, qualified artists to consider 
2. Facilitate the artwork concept development process 
3. Assist with size and scope, materials, fabrication and placement of art
4. Guide the project through the City’s reviews and approvals. The proposed site, artist, and concept for onsite public art must be reviewed and approved by the Walnut Creek Arts Commission at a series of required public meetings. 

Public Art Review Fees

You will be charged at an hourly rate for staff time to process your private development project application. Staff processing time may include review by the Planning, Engineering, and Transportation Divisions, the City Attorney’s Office, and the Arts & Recreation Department’s Public Art Program. We advise that developers budget City staff review hours, including public art review, in a separate line item. 

Kristin Farr, West Coast Barn Quilt, 2018. Photo courtesy of Josh Isaacs.

Explore More!

View more of the Walnut Creek Public Art collection on our website! 

PUBLIC ART COLLECTION

Please contact the Public Art Manager, Marija Nelson Bleier, to learn more about the City of Walnut Creek’s Public Art Ordinance.  

Email: bleier@walnut-creek.org 
Phone: 925.295.1472