Del Mar proceeds with outdoor sculpture program

The Del Mar City Council approved a request to install five concrete pads in the downtown area for the temporary outdoor sculpture program by the city and nonprofit Del Mar Foundation.

The Del Mar Foundation is providing approximately $15,000 in funding for the program over the first two years. After that, the foundation’s board will determine whether to allocate funding to keep it going. If it decides to discontinue funding, and the city decides not to pick up the mantle, the Del Mar Foundation would have to remove the concrete pads and restore each location to its previous condition.

The locations will be 15th Street and Camino del Mar; 15th Street and Stratford Court; the southeast corner of 14th Street and Camino del Mar; the southeast corner of 12th Street and Camino del Mar; and the northeast corner of 9th Street and Camino del Mar.

The Del Mar Foundation and the city of Del Mar’s Arts Advisory Committee will enlist an art collector to solicit art submissions and work with the committee to select the sculptures.

During the council’s June 21 meeting, Del Mar Deputy Mayor Dwight Worden responded to a safety concern by a resident who wrote a letter to the city about adding a sculpture at 15th Street and Stratford Court.

“Safety was evaluated for each of these locations by city staff, including public works, and safety will be evaluated again when the art pieces are actually selected,” Worden said.