Goleta artists soon could make their mark on the city thanks to a new public art policy the City Council approved this week. 

Besides some artwork in the Goleta Valley Library and the Goleta Valley Community Center, the city doesn’t have much public art to show in comparison to the numerous murals found in Santa Barbara and Isla Vista. 

The city hopes having art policy will make it easier for artists to submit projects and create a process for the city to commission art.  

The council previously discussed the policy in August but was unsure which city advisory body should be charged with approving public art proposals. 

Blake Markum, the city’s management analyst, said they reached out to the Santa Barbara County Office of Arts and Culture, which works to facilitate public art throughout the county, to see if they would run the city’s art program. 

Markum said the office was “open to the idea” of working with the City of Goleta but needed a clear assessment of what work would be needed. 

The Office of Arts and Culture works with Santa Barbara to support public art, creates art policy, finds grants, conducts planning, and ensures equitable access for public art at a cost of roughly $222,000 a year.

Because of the high cost, Goleta staff recommended that the city keep the public art program “in house” with the city manager’s office.

City staff recommended that the Goleta Design Review Board take on reviewing public art projects. They also considered the Parks and Recreation Committee, the Public Engagement Committee, the Historic Preservation Committee or even to establish a new ad hoc committee.

“There are arguments for why each of these should advise on public art projects, but there’s not really a perfect fit within any of our existing bodies,” Markum said. “The DRB does still have the most subject matter overlap with public art review due to the aesthetic review and reading of drawings and renderings.”

When the council previously discussed the public art policy, members were concerned that the Design Review Board wouldn’t be the best group to review art because the members aren’t artists and their focus is on architecture and landscape. 

Because of those concerns, city staff suggested adding two auxiliary art advisory members to review only art projects. Additionally, three regular members of the Design Review Board would help with viewing art projects. 

Goleta Mayor Paula Perotte said she was against the idea, worrying that it would add too much extra work to the Design Review Board.

“I’m very concerned about the DRB being in this position,” Perotte said. “They are busy, and I think they’re going to get busier.”

Assistant City Manager Jaime Valdez said they don’t think they will have a “slew” of public art proposed at every Design Review Board meeting.

“We may be wrong, but if we thought that was going to be a regular occurrence, we’d probably think of doing a different process,” Valdez said. 

Art projects would go to the Design Review Board for a recommendation and then to the council for final approval. 

Councilwoman Luz Reyes-Martin said she doesn’t expect a lot of applications for public art to come through and didn’t want to create a new committee just for art review, as it would create additional administrative costs for the city. 

“While imperfect, I do think that DRB is the best option here,” Reyes-Martin said. 

She also suggested having three art-advisory members and two regular Design Review Board members, instead of the staff recommendation of two art-advisory members and three regular Design Review Board members.

“I ask that just so that the majority of that group is focused or has some expertise in art,” Reyes-Martin said. “Then we have two DRB members, which I think is kind of valuable to have people that are just more of your typical resident having an opinion.”

Perotte said she was still worried about the burden on staff but was willing to give it a chance.

“I’m willing to give it a try. I have concerns, but I don’t see the other particular advisory bodies being appropriate,” Perotte said.

Applications for the art advisory members will open later this fall, with members chosen in early 2026 as staff develops an outreach plan to artists, according to the city staff report. 

Fees related to the art program will be reviewed in spring 2026 as part of the city’s annual fee schedule updates.

As for funding projects, the city plans to explore grant opportunities or collaborate with local companies and nonprofit organizations, according to the city staff report. 

Councilman James Kyriaco left Tuesday’s meeting before the art policy discussion to be with his wife on her birthday.