Five new murals and sculptures line downtown San Rafael streets, completing a public art program that drew input from more than 1,000 residents.
The installations wrap up the city's 2025–2026 Public Art Program, funded by a California Arts Council grant. The Downtown San Rafael Business Improvement District announced Monday, Aug. 31, that all five pieces are in place.
The San Rafael City Council approved the five artworks on Feb. 2 after a juried selection that winnowed more than 120 entries. Between October and November 2025, residents reviewed semifinalist designs online and at in-person events, generating more than 1,100 survey responses. Nearly 89% of respondents were Marin residents.
The finished works span three murals and two sculptures:
- "Handle With Care" — a mural by Bryan Valenzuela of St. Helena at the C Street Garage on Third Street
- "Where the Fountain Dreams" — a ceramic tile and mural installation by Paz de la Calzada of San Francisco at City Plaza
- "San Rafael Tapestry" — a retaining wall mural by Wyatt Hersey of San Anselmo at Second and Ida streets
- "Touch the Sky" — a metal sculpture by Martin Taylor of Portola Valley, unveiled May 6 at the San Rafael Community Center and slated to move to Second and Fourth streets
- "Talking Heads" — a stainless steel sculpture by Oleg Lobykin of East Palo Alto at City Hall, standing over 18 feet tall and weighing roughly 2,000 pounds
Four pieces are permanent. "Talking Heads" will remain at City Hall for one year, according to a city announcement.
The program was curated by Local Edition Creative, a Bay Area arts consulting agency.
The rollout also marks a new identity for the neighborhood. San Rafael's California Cultural District, formerly known as the Downtown San Rafael Arts District (DSRAD), has rebranded as "San Rafael Arts." The city described the change as the result of a multi-year collaboration with eight arts partners, including Art Works Downtown, California Film Institute, Community Media Center of Marin, the Downtown San Rafael Business Improvement District, Marin Society of Artists, Marin Shakespeare Company, Multicultural Center of Marin and Youth In Arts.
Beyond the five installations, the California Arts Council grant funded over a dozen additional city arts initiatives, including grants for privately funded murals, arts classes and support for arts programming at community events, according to a city update.
The Marin Independent Journal reported in May on the early stages of the installations as artists began work at their sites.
All five artworks are accessible on foot in downtown San Rafael.
