I was pleased to see April Ramos’ recent Opinion column “Behind the art” in which she describes her appreciation for the art and the artists behind art installed in an unnamed Fremont hospital – ‘…a place where people may need it the most.’
Our local hospitals have long recognized the healing power of art and its ability to sooth. They should continue to be applauded for installing art in and around their facilities, in particular work by local artists.
As a long-time resident involved in advocating for more public art in Fremont, I hope the Opinion column and this letter will spur more interest—and investment—in public art as a prime contributor to our community’s emotional and economic health.
Unfortunately, funding for a simple, long-standing public art project, the beautification of utility boxes (‘boxART!’) in Fremont has recently been discontinued by the City. This is a low-cost program to administer—an annual budget of $50,000, which is a mere 0.0001274% of the 2025-2026 City budget of $392 Million, would cover at least twelve of the boxes currently in need of artwork as well as personnel and administrative costs.
The program has also historically been supplemented by private donors who fund (sponsor) the cost of a particular box, yet even that avenue of funding appears to have lost City support. Discontinuing the program means losing a proven graffiti-abatement strategy as well as increasing costs to the City from continually painting over graffiti.
The value of the positive impact throughout our City from the visual, emotional and community identity created by boxART! so outweigh this small investment of City funds.
In addition to citizens contacting their City government representative to ask that the boxART! program be reinstated, local smaller businesses can benefit from adding publicly visible art. Not just to mitigate risk of graffiti and site damage, but to positively affect their image and attract potential customers.
Art is not just the domain of our government and large businesses. Images by local artists can be reproduced inexpensively on vinyl banners and installed in windows, on blank walls and on construction fencing. While painted murals can also be done, an “art banner” costs less and is temporary, making its display fully flexible.
The Fremont Cultural Arts Council, a long-standing local nonprofit advocating for art in the Fremont community, has an art banner with an image by a well-known local photographer available to any Fremont business interested in adding a public art component, for which the only cost is installation. Additionally, the Council can consult on creating other art banners.
Let’s put more art out for all of us to enjoy, to reduce blight and improve economic vitality.
Julie Gilson
Fremont Cultural Arts Council board member
