DISTRICT 5 COMMUNITY PUBLIC ART PROJECTS
This page lists works produced through the District 5 Community Public Art Grant program, a placemaking and public art initiative. This grant program is intended to enable creative projects in the Fifth District that demonstrate the power of the arts to contribute to the social cohesion of our communities through beautification of downtown areas or neighborhoods. This program is made possible with support from Board of Supervisors Chair and Fifth District Supervisor, Lynda Hopkins, through community infrastructure funding and tourism impact funding. Click HERE to learn about the District 5 Community Public Art Grant. If a public event accompanies any of these projects it will be listed in our Creative Calendar. Look for the #D5PublicArt hashtag on social media to see posts about these projects.
2025
Face to Face
The Stone Spiral Memorial Display will revitalize and reinstall a powerful public art piece at West County Health Centers’ Russian River Health and Wellness Center, honoring the over 1,200 lives lost to HIV/AIDS in Sonoma County since 1983. This project preserves the memorial’s historical significance in Guerneville while integrating educational elements, ensuring ongoing remembrance, awareness, and the power of art to heal and unite communities.
Project Timeline:
April – May 2025: Installation and community engagement events
Occidental Community Council
LAND/scape is a public art project organized by the Occidental Community Council designed to bring joy, build community cohesion, and create a visual identity that connects the entire downtown corridor from north to south. It includes the development and installation of a temporary participatory mural on two sides of the Occidental Community Center, installation of colorful lamp post flags from one end of town to the other, and connected activations at local businesses.
Project Timeline:
September 2, 2025: Mural Installation
September 7, 2025: Community Painting Day | Celebration
Location: Occidental Community Center and downtown Occidental
Bodega Bay Elementary
Artist will design and execute the artwork for a wall of the school library. Student curriculum includes studies created by the UC Davis Marine Lab. The theme of the artwork will reflect coastal communities roots and close ties to ocean life.
Project Timeline:
Spring 2026: Project will be completed by this date
Location: Bodega Bay Elementary at 1200 Canon St, Bodega Bay, CA 94923
Forestville Chamber of Commerce
Forestville Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with Creative Sonoma and Supervisor Hopkins/District 5 welcomes all communities and visitors to Forestville with a large stunning mural, "Gateway to Forestville". The muralist was inspired by an opportunity to enhance Forestville's identity and pride while creating a lasting impression for visitors. .
Project Timeline:
August 29, 2025: Mural was completed
Location: Forestville Club’s East & North facing walls. This prominent wall is often the first thing one sees when entering town 6522 Front St Forestville Ca.
Forestville Water District
This project demonstrates three unique types of rain-garden landscapes, incorporating artistic elements that can be scaled and replicated, transforming a quarter-acre section of district property into a shared public space, with picnic table amenities, where the community can appreciate local art and learn about water conservation, rainwater capture and use. This one-of-a-kind project includes residential, local artist, and local business partnerships, ensuring public access/engagement, honoring the rich cultural uniqueness and diversity of Forestville.
Project Timeline:
October 1, 2025: Site construction completion – October 1, 2025
Spring 2027: Project (Phase I) is complete
Location: Underused front lot adjacent to Forestville Water District Administration Building, 6530 Mirabel Road, Forestville, CA 95436
Friends of Monte Rio
Bring historic downtown Monte Rio to life for a special outdoor evening of music, food, and art - including curated photos and videos from the Russian River Historical Society archive presented in large scale free to the public. In addition to deepening pride with recent and long time residents, the project will beautify and reclaim important public space to help revitalize this historic downtown.
Project Timeline and location:
Friday, October 3: Event occurred on this date
Location: Public parking lot at the intersection of Moscow Road and Main St. in Monte Rio between Bartlett’s Market and Monte Rio Fire Station.
Friends of Rio Nido
Installation of a custom-made mosaic around the exterior base and inside the water basin of a newly installed Community Fountain. The fountain is located at the entrance to the village of Rio Nido, and is part of a larger neighborhood beautification project to create safe and attractive public gathering spaces in the community; the mosaic was designed and will be installed by local Rio Nido artists.
Project Timeline:
Spring 2026: Installation will be completed
Location: Rio Nido’s Community Fountain is located at the intersection of Canyon 2 and Canyon 7 in Rio Nido, just off River Road.
Graton Community Services District
This is a monthly public arts pop-up featuring rotating local artists engaging the community around the question: What is our 7 Generations vision for Graton and the Green Valley watershed? Each month, an artist will lead a community pop-up (Saturdays, 1-4pm) and an elementary school field trip (Fridays, 11-12pm), with resulting artworks displayed publicly for at least the following month (or longer term). The project will foster community storytelling, watershed awareness, and shared visioning.
Project Timeline:
July – September 2025: Monthly pop-ups (first Saturday), school field trips (first Friday), and public art displays.
July 21-22: There will be two days of forestry/material harvest
July 24-25: Two days of labyrinth installation at Graton Town Square (July 24-25), with a final unveiling party on July 26
July 26: 1st Pop-Up – Re-Storyation Labyrinth: Social Forestry + Community Art Installation. See event details HERE
Winter and Spring 2026 – Stay tuned for more pop-ups!
Location: At Graton’s new Town Square (9155 Graton Road) — both inside the pop-up “Museum of the Future” (shipping container) and around the site.
Graton Fire Protection District
Mural depicting West County rails, trails and watersheds from Graton to Forestville. A creative interpretation will be painted, involving local youth, and children from Oak Grove Elementary school in Graton, facilitated by Artstart.
Project Timeline:
Summer 2025: Mural is completed
Location: Building known as the Old Graton Firehouse adjacent to the West County Trail – 3120 Ross Rd Graton CA 95444
Multi-Media Education Founcation
Our project aims to design, fabricate, and install a custom-lit storefront-style sign at the Guerneville River Theater, enhancing visibility for our community radio station (95.1 fm KGGV). This sign will serve as a beacon, attracting attention and fostering greater community engagement with our local broadcast.
Project Timeline:
Spring 2026: Installation is complete
Location: The Guerneville River Theater at 16135 Main St.
North Bay Letterpress Arts
The North Bay Print & Poetry Festival brings together printmakers, poets, and arts enthusiasts for a day of creativity featuring local vendors, food, music, poetry, and a centerpiece street paver printing event. Hosted by North Bay Letterpress Arts and Graton Town Square, this free, family-friendly festival invites the community to experience the magic of printmaking while supporting local artists and the arts.
Project Timeline:
October 4, 2025: 1st Annual North Bay Print & Poetry Festival occurred on this date
Location: Graton Town Square, 9155 Graton Rd, Graton, CA 95444
Occidental Community Farmers Market
"Common Threads" is a series of interactive art and music workshops at the Occidental Community Farmers Market that celebrate Sonoma County’s cultural diversity and foster connection through awe, joy, and creativity. This program invites us to actively build community—recognizing that it takes time and effort to create meaningful connections, to show up, be seen, and share in something larger than ourselves through public art, music, and community involvement.
Project Timeline:
May 22: Grand Opening – 4-8pm Community weaving & Sonoma County Pomo Dancers
June: Family Day Chalk Art Festival
July: Public Art & Music Event with drumming workshop
August: Cultural Event with Taiko Drummers September: Harvest Festival – “A Seat At The Table” installation.
September: Harvest Festival – “A Seat At The Table” installation.
Location: Downtown Occidental at the parking lot between located on Main Street and Second, in front of Howard’s Station
River Arts and Media - Downtown Seasonal Window Art & Decoration
Artists will paint and decorate downtown Guerneville windows with seasonal themes (Spring/Summer and Fall). A prominent local personality will also be invited to participate as a "Guest Artist".
Project Timeline:
The Spring/Summer decoration occurred in late March and April.
The Fall decoration is occurred in late September and October.
Location: Approximately 16151 (Nesting Company) to 16390 (County Building/Previously Bank of America) Main Street and possibly on adjacent side streets in downtown Guerneville
River Arts and Media - Downtown Beautification/Mural Project
General: Ongoing project to create murals and other creative works in downtown Guerneville.
Specific: To beautify the greatest eyesore in downtown Guerneville.
Project Timeline:
Summer 2026: Creation of Mural and/or other Art Work
Location: The parking lot and refuse disposal area at Guerneville Liquors, corner of Main Street and Church Street, 16297 Main Street, Guerneville, CA.
Russian River Chamber of Commerce
In order to celebrate our unique ecosystem, we'll create a beautiful sign that spans Armstrong Woods road that welcomes folks to the redwoods, and reminds them about the special brink that they are crossing as they head towards our state park. We will partner with local artist Katie Wakeman (aka: SheWelds) to create a stunning, colorful and uniquely "West County" feeling steel sign out of entirely reclaimed and upcycled metal.
Project Timeline:
Spring 2026: Installation to be completed
Location: 1400 block on Armstrong Woods Road
Russian River Hoop & Flow
The Hula Hooping for Joy Performance series is a six series performance and movement jam series in the downtown Guerneville plaza, in the summer of 2025. Russian River Hoop & Flow (RRHF) has established a weekly free movement practice since 2020, and proposes an addition to their offerings in the form of a 6 week summer performance series including a guided warm up, a group hula hoop jam, and performances by various hooping/movement artists.
Project Timeline:
August 23: 6-9pm
September 17: 6-9pm
October 4: 6-9pm
Location: Guerneville Plaza, the space in front of Smart Pizza, nearest to the intersection of Main St. and Armstrong Woods Road.
Sea Otter Savvy
Sea Otter Savvy's Sea Otter Recovery and Community Engagement (SORCE) program educates Northern California communities about the historical and ecological importance of sea otters. As conservation efforts aim to expand their range, fostering stewardship and coexistence is crucial in areas where otters may return. Sea Otter Savvy's 'We Were Here' Sea Otter mural aims to inspire local stewardship, raise awareness, and encourage engagement in discussions about sea otter recovery and conservation.
Project Timeline:
December 2025: Mural is installed
Location: The mural is painted onto the side of the Jenner State Park Bathroom, across from the visitors center: 10451 CA-1, Jenner, CA 95450
West County Health Center
West County Health Centers will engage patients and local community members to create a mural with culturally affirming images and messages that promote community connectedness and wellness and reflects the diversity of our community.
Project Timeline:
April -June: A Connection is Healing cohort will include students/patients to support creative sessions to design visual art to promote cultural healing.
June: Designs and key messages finalized
August: Art Installation completed
October | early November: Celebration Ceremony
Location: Forestville Wellness Center, 6550 Front St, Forestville CA 95436
Salmon Creek Harmony School
The Harmony/Salmon Creek School students will have an opportunity to work with a local artist in the classroom to create drawings or paintings to be voted on by a jury of students to be displayed above the Little Toy play yard. This project will enhance the arts program and bring a splash of joy and color to the School.
Project Timeline:
December 2025: Art has been printed and displayed
Location: Salmon Creek/ Harmony School at 1935 Bohemian Hwy, Occidental, CA 95465