Cultural Arts

Don’t Miss Your Chance to Become Part of South San Francisco’s Newest Public Artwork!
Leave your mark on the New Aquatic Center by helping create a permanent community mosaic that will be enjoyed for generations to come! Join artist team Rachel Rodi and Guy Fuerte on Saturday, August 15, 2026, at the Joseph Fernekes Recreation Building – 781 Tennis Drive, for this unique public art experience.

There are two ways to participate;
1.  Create the Mosaic:  Community members who have completed 6th grade or older are invited to register for a limited hands-on workshop session. Learn mosaic making techniques while helping construct a permanent public artwork for the New Aquatic Center. Participants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Registration is required and spaces are limited for each session. Register under the Cultural Arts tab at: www.ssfca.gov/rec-catalog.

2.  Observe the Process: Drop-in anytime between 10:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to watch the artists and community volunteers bring the mosaic to life. Visitors can also enjoy a mosaic themed coloring activity while observing the creative process. No pre-registration is required.

For questions, contact the Parks and Recreation Department at (650) 829-3800 or email cultural.arts@ssfca.gov.

October 2025 - Artist Selected for the New Aquatic Center Mural

The Cultural Arts Program is pleased to announce the selection of a mosaic mural titled, “Water Dances” for installation in the New Aquatic Center at Orange Memorial Park. The vibrant, community-centered mural is the creation of the prolific San Francisco Bay Area artist team of Rachel Rodi and Guy Fuerte.

The mural depicts two swimmers submerged in the iridescent hues of blue water, with mirrored bubbles surrounding them and the brilliant yellows and oranges of sunlight above them.

The team’s inspiration was drawn from generations of South City swimmers who enjoyed the current pool, as well as the diverse and resilient SSF community. The swirls of sunshine suggested the flowing dresses of South City’s dance enthusiasts.

The artist’s selection was a result of a robust community engagement process, and unanimously favored through the community surveys. The mural installation will coincide with the completion of the New Aquatic Center which is projected to occur in 2026.

• For information on the artists, visit www.rachelrodi.com
• For updates on New Aquatic Center project, visit www.ssfca.gov/ParkProjects

BACKGROUND: Programming and planning for the New Aquatic Center at Orange Memorial Park began in 2021. The vision included the installation of an interior public art wall mural to be synergistic with the objective of fostering community wellness and engagement.

May 2025: The City released a national Request for Qualifications (RFQ). Eligibility requirements indicated that preference would be given to artists with a demonstrated connection to South San Francisco or the greater Bay Area. Submissions were reviewed by staff and consultants for eligibility, then sent to the Artist Advisory Group (the Cultural Arts Commission’s Public Art Subcommittee), who carefully evaluated and scored the applicants. Four artists were advanced to the next stage.

August 31, 2025: The four shortlisted artists, Angelina Duckett, Elena Manferdini, Crystal and Cameron Moberg, and Rachel Rodi submitted their concept proposals.

Past Community Input Opportunities

Saturday, September 20, 2025
 Community members were invited to view the proposals and share feedback at the annual Concert in the Park at Orange Memorial Park.  Artists (or their representatives) were present from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. to share their designs and hear directly from community members. (Public Art Mural Concepts Reveal Flyers -  English(PDF, 1MB)  |  Spanish(PDF, 1MB))

 September 20 - October 3, 2025
Concept proposals were available to view online.
Survey is closed.

New Aquatic Center Mural Survey Flyer(PDF, 621KB)

 October 28, 2025
Final Artist Selection: At the regular Cultural Arts Commission meeting on October 28, 2025, the Commission selected the final artist.  Community members were welcome to attend.

 Upcoming dates may be subject to change.
For information, call the Parks and Recreation Department at (650) 829-3800.

Artist Concept Approved for Public Art Installation at New Park at Linden Avenue & Pine Avenue

In consideration of the overwhelming consensus by the community via survey results, the public art concept titled, “Punto de Encuentro” (Meeting Point) by mosaic artist, J. Muzacz, was approved by City Council for installation at the New Park at Linden Avenue & Pine Avenue.

J. Muzacz, drew his inspiration from themes of gathering, cultural craft traditions, and regional identity. After extensive research of South San Francisco and the Old Town Community, he proposed three interrelated designs that create a welcoming and cohesive identity for the park. The two plaza components highlight community spaces by creating a dynamic, colorful stage for performances, markets, and other gatherings. The serape blanket-inspired pattern on the four columns provides a colorful background and the pavement floral mosaic inlays radiate out with a comforting familiarity. The third component, a play sculpture, features a whimsical “Alebrije.”  On the mythical creature are geometric spirals that symbolize the life cycle in Zapoteca symbology.

With reverence, the artist’s vision is to create a joyful and memorable public space that reflects the people and stories of South San Francisco.
  •  For information on the artist, visit: JMuzacz.com.  
  •  For updates on new park project, visit www.ssfca.gov/ParkProjects

FINAL ARTIST SELECTION

Tuesday, November 25, 2025
Cultural Arts Commission Meeting
The Commission recommended the final artist at the regular November 2025 meeting. The public was welcome to attend.

Wednesday, December 10, 2025
City Council Meeting
City Council selected the final artist at the regular December 2025 meeting. The public was welcome to attend.

BACKGROUND: In April 2024, the City engaged the community in the design of a new park and plaza at 616 and 700 Linden Avenue, with the goal of converting the existing spaces into a new vibrant gathering and recreation area. The New Park at Linden and Pine Avenue will have three integrated mosaic art components consisting of four sculptural mosaic columns, a pavement mosaic inlay, and a mosaic clad playground sculpture.

June 2025: The City released a national Request for Qualifications (RFQ). Eligibility requirements indicated that preference would be given to artists with a demonstrated connection to South San Francisco or the greater Bay Area. Submissions were reviewed by staff and consultants for eligibility, then sent to the Artist Advisory Group (the Cultural Arts Commission’s Public Art Subcommittee), who carefully evaluated and scored the applicants. Five artists were advanced to the next stage.

Past Community Input Opportunities

•  October 4, 2025: Community Input at Pop Up at 700 Linden Avenue: Community members were invited to view the proposals and share feedback on Saturday, October 4, 2025, at 700 Linden Avenue.  Artists (or their representatives) were present from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. to share their designs and hear directly from community members. New Linden Park Public Art Concepts Reveal Flyers (English(PDF, 4MB)   |  Spanish(PDF, 3MB))

Concept proposals were available to view online from October 4th.
The online survey deadline was extended to Friday October 24 from the original deadline of October 17.
Survey is closed.

New Park at Linden and Pine Survey Flyer(PDF, 318KB)

November 25, 2025
Final Artist Selection: At the regular Cultural Arts Commission meeting, on November 25th, the Commission made a recommendation on the final artist.  Community members were welcome to attend.

Upcoming dates may be subject to change.
For information, call the Parks and Recreation Department at  (650) 829-3800.

As part of the new Orange Memorial Park Aquatic Center Project, the City of South San Francisco is getting a new Veterans Memorial at Orange Memorial Park.

Information on the preservation of the Eternal Flame sculpture will be available soon. 

Cultural Arts Programs encompass several objectives that promote and encourage community interest in arts, culture and creative expression. These goals are realized through three major components: the Public Art Program, the Art Gallery Program and Youth in Arts. An invaluable aspect of accomplishing these objectives is the work done cooperatively with other agencies and the private sector to accomplish goals of mutual benefit.

The Public Art Program provides for the installation of temporary and permanent art accessible to viewing at public and private locations throughout the City. In addition, projects have included renovations of treasured icons, embellishment of City entrances and parks and beautification of the downtown area. Over the past 30 years, the City has acquired an artwork collection that includes over 40 permanently sited, interior and temporary artworks. Artworks may be viewed online at the Interactive Public Art Map.

Sample-SSF-Public-Art-Concept-Submission-Contract.pdf(PDF, 184KB)

Sample-SSF-Agreement-Public-Art-template.pdf(PDF, 233KB)

The vision for the Art Gallery Program is to present exhibitions that reflect a wide spectrum of art styles and media crossing all areas of art and interest groups. This is accomplished via a series of quarterly art gallery exhibits designed to showcase the creativity of local and Bay Area artists. From emerging to experienced, visual artists participate in shows which are occasionally supplemented by performing arts presentations. The exhibitions are open to the public, admission free, for approximately one month.

In 2023, a Solo Artist exhibition program was introduced at the new Library | Parks and Recreation Center. Established artists were selected to exhibit art from their body of work for a three-month period. The aim is to continue the solo artist exhibition program on a regular basis. 

Cultivating and showcasing the talent of the next generation of artists is the aim of the Youth in Arts programs. Current and past youth art programming include exhibitions such as art displays by Recreation Department pre-school and childcare participants, and the annual Youth Art Show presented in collaboration with the South San Francisco Unified School District.

In 1999, a scholarship program for graduating South San Francisco Unified School District (SSFUSD) high school seniors was conceived by the Cultural Arts Commission. Titled the Jack Drago Cultural Arts Commission Youth Art Scholarship, it was named to honor Jack Drago, former South San Francisco mayor and founder of the arts commission. Financed exclusively by community donations and fundraising dollars, it provided the recipients with an opportunity for continued education in the arts. The scholarship program ended in 2024. In its lifetime, forty-eight (48) SSF Unified School District graduates were awarded.

The Jack Drago Youth Art Internship was established in 2025 to advance the goal of nurturing the talent of young artists. This paid summer internship program is open to both juniors and seniors attending school with the SSF Unified School District or residing in South San Francisco. The opportunity was designed to provide financial support to a young creative while also enabling the candidate to engage in meaningful, project-based work and develop real-world skills in arts administration, public engagement, and creative programming.

Please Donate to Enable Our Community to Connect, Unite, Inspire

Support the vision to promote the arts, culture and creative expression for all people. Contributions to SSF Cultural Arts Programs, may be made by sending a check to: “City of South San Francisco.” Please be sure to write “Donation-Cultural Arts” on the memo line. Mail your donation to Cultural Arts Programs c/o SSF Parks & Recreation Department, 901 Civic Campus Way, SSF, CA 94080.

A donation may also be made with a credit or debit card. Phone the Parks and Recreation Department administrative phone line at (650) 829-3800, Monday through Friday, during business hours for assistance or email Cultural.Arts@ssfca.gov.

Your donation is tremendously appreciated.