MURALS UNDER ARTS COMMISSION JURISDICTION
In accordance with City Charter Article V, Section 103. – The Arts Commission shall: Approve the design and location of all works of art before they are acquired, transferred or sold by the City and County, or are placed upon or removed from City and County property, or are altered in any way; maintain and keep an inventory of works of art owned by the City and County; and maintain the works of art owned by the City and County;

The San Francisco Arts Commission must approve all:

  • Murals to be placed upon city owned property, and
  • Murals financed in whole or in part with city funds even if proposed for privately owned property.

REQUIREMENTS FOR MURAL DESIGN APPROVAL
The Arts Commission reviews mural proposals to determine that the work is appropriate to the setting, architecture, and social context. Approval of the mural proposal is contingent on a review of the required documents detailed in the Checklist below. Contact Craig Corpora, Program Associate, Civic Art Collection and Public Art Program, at (415) 252-2249, or craig.corpora@sfgov.org with any questions about the process.

StreetSmARTS murals are exempt from this approval process. Please contact Craig Corpora, Program Associate, Civic Art Collection and Public Art Program for more information craig.corpora@sfgov.org, (415) 252-2249.

MURAL DESIGN APPROVAL PROCESS

  1. If your mural is to be placed on city owned property you must obtain a letter of approval or resolution from the appropriate city department to proceed with the project prior to submitting a proposal to the Arts Commission. The Arts Commission will not review a proposal without a permission letter from the city department with jurisdiction over the proposed site. For example, if your mural is located in a city park, then you will need approval from the Recreation & Park Commission.
  2. Artists seeking funding through the Community Challenge Grant program must receive their grant notification before submitting any documents to the Arts Commission for approval. The Arts Commission will only review mural proposals after grantee has been notified of their CCG grant award. For more information contact the Challenge Grant Program Manager, Lanita Henriquez at lanita.henriguez@sfgov.org or at (415) 554-4830.
  3. Following Arts Commission staff review and recommendation for approval, the proposed mural design is placed on the consent calendar of the Visual Arts Committee, (VAC) an Arts Commission subcommittee. The VAC meets on the third Wednesday of each month, at 401 Van Ness Avenue, Room 125. The VAC will make a recommendation for approval to the full commission. The full Arts Commission meets on the first Monday of each month in City Hall. Arts Commission approval is complete when the Commission approves the mural design by Resolution. Mural applicants are welcome to attend the Visual Arts Committee or Full Arts Commission meetings; however, attendance is not required.
  4. In determining the time frame for the approval process, artists should allow sufficient time for the mural proposal to be reviewed a second time by the staff in the event a recommendation is made for a design revision. Therefore, requests for approval should be received no later than 90 days prior to actual implementation of the mural.
  5. Photographic documentation of completed projects is required for our records.
  6. Please note that approval of mural design does not constitute acceptance into the Civic Art Collection, unless specifically commissioned by or acquired by the Arts Commission for the City and County of San Francisco.

The Arts Commission does not take responsibility for maintenance or preservation of artworks approved by this body which are not included in the Civic Art Collection.

CHECKLIST

  1. Signed letter or resolution approving the proposed mural from the property owner or city department with jurisdiction over the proposed site, including any additional requirements.
  2. Completed Mural Design Approval Information Form
  3. Lead artist’s resume/qualifications and examples of previous work.
  4. Color image of mural designs, including any proposed text and exact mural dimensions.
  5. One image of the proposed site; indicate the exact location of the proposed mural on the proposed wall. Please include dimensions and address.
  6. Three (3) letters of community support for the project, e.g. letters of support from neighborhood associations, neighborhood petitions, individuals and businesses etc.
  7. Signed Artist Waiver of Proprietary Rights for Artworks. *Required for each artist involved in project.
    1. For murals placed on City Property 
    2. For murals placed on Private Property

Digital submissions of the required checklist items are preferred. Please send via email in one combined .pdf document, under 20mb. Mail to: craig.corpora@sfgov.org 

OR you may submit a hard copy by mail or by drop off at the Arts Commission's office. Please note, postmark dates will not be considered as the submission date:

San Francisco Arts Commission
Attn: Craig Corpora, Mural Review
401 Van Ness, Suite 325
San Francisco, CA 94102

What's Coming Up

Public Meeting

Executive Committee Meeting

December 18
/
1:00 PM to 2:30 PM

Hybrid: 401 Van Ness | Rm 125 and Online
Public Meeting

Visual Arts Committee Meeting

December 16
/
2:30 PM to 6:00 PM

Hybrid: City Hall | Rm 408 and Online
Public Meeting

Community Investments Committee Meeting

December 09
/
1:00 PM to 3:00 PM

Hybrid: City Hall | Rm 416 and Online
Public Meeting

Full Arts Commission Meeting

May 06
/
2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Hybrid: City Hall | Rm 416 and Online