Pasadena Pulls Focus on City’s Public Art With Redesigned Walking Tour Brochure

The City of Pasadena has released a redesigned Public Art Walking Tour Brochure, offering residents and visitors an opportunity to explore the city’s extensive public art collection through eight self-guided tours.

The updated publication features eight self-guided tours showcasing a wide range of permanent, publicly accessible artworks designed to enhance the built environment and enrich local communities. Each tour takes approximately 30 minutes to complete—whether on foot or by bicycle—and highlights works by renowned international and local artists across diverse media and aesthetic styles.

The brochure, originally launched in 2007, aims to introduce both residents and visitors to the rich variety of aesthetic creations that communicate and define the City’s distinctive character. It guides users through the city’s streets, revealing inspiring stories, history, and creative interventions featuring everything from monumental and interactive sculptures to artist-designed benches and fountains, video installations, and light projections.

Pasadena’s Public Art Collection reflects prime examples of modern and contemporary art movements, city officials said.

“We invite you to explore the Public Art Collection as it guides you through Pasadena’s streets, revealing inspiring stories, history, and creative interventions at every turn,” the City’s Cultural Affairs Division said.

Interested individuals can download the Public Art Walking Tour Brochure from the Cultural Affairs Division website or by visiting: https://bit.ly/PasPublicArtTours.

Pasadena established its Public Art Program in the late 1980s, requiring that 1% of building valuation from new private developments and municipal construction projects be allocated to public art development. The program thrives on public-private partnerships and community collaboration, incorporating community voices into the planning process. This works to ensure artworks are site-specific, publicly accessible, and enhance quality of life.

The city’s Public Art Collection now includes over 177 permanent artworks that are diverse, multicultural, and reflective of the City’s values and identity, featuring exceptional works by both local and nationally acclaimed artists.

The walking tours support goals outlined in both Pasadena’s Public Art Master Plan and General Plan while promoting the city’s mission to create a more walkable community.

For more information about the City’s Public Art Collection, residents can visit www.CityOfPasadena.net/Public-Art. For more information about the City’s Public Art Programs, visit www.cityofpasadena.net/arts or contact Corey Dunlap, Public Art Coordinator, at cdunlap@cityofpasadena.net or (626) 744-7547.