Redondo Beach Art Project Advances Despite Cost, Traffic Safety Concerns

REDONDO BEACH, CA — A plan to transform Artesia Boulevard with sculptures, decorative benches and other public artwork is moving forward, but not everyone agrees on what the city should be spending its money on.

The Redondo Beach City Council unanimously approved a shortlist of artists Tuesday, Oct. 20, allowing them to develop proposals for a series of installations along the North Redondo Beach commercial corridor, despite objections from residents who questioned the project's priorities and raised concerns about traffic safety.

The decision marks another step in the city's Artesia Boulevard Strategic Art Plan, which envisions two installations in roadway medians, two gateway monuments, artistic enhancements to five existing concrete benches, a decorative crosswalk and an LGBTQ+-themed artwork near the North Branch Library. The improvements are planned along Artesia Boulevard between Aviation Boulevard and Inglewood Avenue.

According to the city's Oct. 20 administrative report, the selection process attracted 192 submissions before a community panel narrowed the field. The Cultural Arts Commission unanimously endorsed the recommended finalists Sept. 23.

Tuesday's vote did not approve any final designs or award contracts for the installations. Instead, the shortlisted artists will be invited to submit detailed concepts for further review.

Residents Question Spending Priorities

Speaking on behalf of the North Redondo Beach Business Association, Mickey Johnson welcomed efforts to beautify the corridor but questioned whether the project's spending priorities reflected what residents had requested. Johnson cited a city survey involving 171 respondents and said nearly 68 percent had identified functional artwork, such as benches, among their preferred improvements.

The association representative argued that the city was directing too much funding toward sculptures in roadway medians rather than amenities that would encourage residents and visitors to spend time along Artesia Boulevard. Johnson also expressed disappointment that local artists whose mosaics already appear elsewhere in Redondo Beach had not advanced to the proposal stage for the benches.

Another resident, Grace Payne, questioned the wisdom of placing sculptures in the middle of a busy roadway, arguing that they could distract motorists while offering little opportunity for pedestrians to appreciate the artwork. Payne urged the city to prioritize installations along sidewalks or in gathering spaces where people could experience them at a more leisurely pace.

Council members acknowledged the objections but noted that the broader strategy, including the proposed locations and funding allocations, had already been approved. The council adopted the plan in December 2025, and Tuesday's decision concerned which artists should advance to the next stage rather than whether the city should reconsider the overall approach.

LGBTQ+ Installation Draws Support

The meeting also featured support for a planned LGBTQ+-themed installation outside the North Branch Library, alongside calls to ensure the finished artwork reflects the community it is intended to celebrate. Betty Leinen, a Redondo Beach resident, South Bay LGBTQ Center board member and professor of LGBTQIA+ studies, pointed to the city's history as a gathering place for LGBTQ+ residents.

She cited the Artesia Bar, the South Bay LGBTQ Center's early presence along the boulevard and Redondo Beach's role in hosting the South Bay's first Pride Festival in 1991. Leinen urged officials to involve local LGBTQ+ residents and organizations in reviewing proposed designs, incorporate the community's history into the artwork and consider holding a public dedication when it is unveiled.

Councilmember Zein Obagi Jr. also called for community feedback before a final design is selected, emphasizing the importance of ensuring the installation is welcomed by the people it represents.

What Happens Next?

The city's original Phase I funding included $450,000 from the John Parsons Public Art Fund, comprising $405,000 for the project and a $45,000 consulting agreement. An additional $35,000 was subsequently allocated for the LGBTQ+-themed installation.

A separate item on the Oct. 20 agenda proposed adding $7,500 in consulting services for that installation, bringing the consultant's total contract ceiling to $52,500. The additional consulting work would be covered by the funding already allocated for the LGBTQ+ artwork. The city's strategic art plan also outlines a potential second phase, estimated at $550,000, which would require additional funding.

Among the artists advancing to the proposal stage are Anaisa Franco, Nathan Mabry, Mary Carter Taub, Sijia Chen Studios, Wil Natzel, Mobile Mural Lab, Miki Iwasaki and Shabazz Larkin, among others. The city expects to issue its request for proposals in late October or early November. Participating artists who are not ultimately selected for a commission will receive a $500 stipend for developing their concepts, according to the staff report.

The original plan targeted summer 2027 for the initial installations, although the city's latest consulting amendment proposes extending the overall agreement through March 31, 2028, to accommodate the expanded project schedule. Final designs will undergo additional review by the community panel, Cultural Arts Commission and City Council before any artwork is commissioned.

For now, the project is another step closer to becoming a reality, even as residents continue debating whether Artesia Boulevard would benefit most from artwork designed to be admired from the road or improvements that invite people to stop and stay.