There are more than 800 pieces of public art in the city of San Diego, and hundreds more across the rest of San Diego County. The region received more than $10 million in state and federal grants for public art in the last five years.
Public art ranges from the famous — the Kissing Statue at the Port of San Diego or the Nikigator in Balboa Park — to the less well known. It can be found everywhere, from office complexes and the airport to panels on bridges to murals on the streets to decorative crosswalks and public utility boxes to the walls of libraries to public restrooms.
KPBS is embarking on a series to explore public art. Follow this series for stories about the artists who make these works, why public art is created, what impact it has and where it can be found. And we want to hear from you about what public artworks you notice or are most curious about.
Explore our coverage
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San Diego International Airport is home to more than 50 works of public art and a vibrant temporary exhibit, "A Necessary Departure," on view through the end of the year. -
“Mukikmalim, Su'ulim, Chem-tema-ki'ay” (Birds, Stars, Our Lands) is the first public display of the Kupa language, tribal members said. -
Both of Imperial Beach's iconic sculptures — Surfhenge and the Spirit of Imperial Beach — are an homage to the city's surf history.
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