This session launches the 9-session Make It: Building a Public Art Practice series, designed to support artists who are interested in working in a public art context. Led by nationally respected public art professionals Susan F. Gray and Patricia Gomez, the series offers practical, experience-based guidance on navigating public art opportunities.
In this first session, participants will gain an inside look at how public art projects are structured and managed. Susan and Pat will share examples of projects—large and small—in civic spaces and private developments, with particular attention to commissions where artists secured their first major public art opportunities.
The workshop will also focus on building strong, competitive applications. Topics include:
- Selecting high-quality images tailored to specific project types and evaluation criteria
- Avoiding common image and presentation pitfalls that can weaken a submission
- Preparing effective letters of interest, artist bios, CVs, and references
- Understanding different application platforms and submission processes
This session provides a foundational overview of how public art commissions work and how artists can position themselves for success.
Supported by UPLIFT Central Coast, a California Jobs First workforce development initiative.
About the Facilitators
Susan F. Gray
Susan F. Gray is an independent art consultant who helps forge communal spaces where the public can be welcomed and respected through cultural connections. She has over 30 years of experience leading public art initiatives within government, educational, non-profit, and private sectors. Susan applies design thinking to creatively respond to any assignment, with proven ability to plan and deliver complex programs through highly productive partnerships. A quietly assertive leader and valued consensus builder, she thinks expansively to help commission artworks in keeping with each artist’s original design intent.
From inspiration to implementation, bridging between the visionary and the pragmatic, Susan tactically brings arts and culture to our communities through enterprising policy, partnerships, and project delivery. She has developed infrastructure to make commissions accessible to a broad range of artists, achieving this by setting clear goals through an informed process that is meaningful, transparent, and utilizes best practice protocols, enabling projects to be completed on time, within budget.
Projects within her portfolio have ranged from master planning for large-scale permanent artwork installations to ‘pop-up’ community-based revitalization initiatives. She has served in leadership roles with the San Francisco Arts Commission, the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles, and the Metro Art program of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The resulting projects range from artist-designed posters, fare cards, and digital media, to million-dollar billboard size permanent works rendered in mosaic, porcelain enamel steel, and glass.
With the consultancy of Susan F. Gray & Co., established in 2021, Susan has completed assignments for the State of California, Los Angeles County, and the city of Ontario.
Current assignments include the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority terminal rebuild, and the Bruce’s Beach restorative justice project for the City of Manhattan Beach.
As an additional consideration, SFG was formally trained as an artist, and before committing to a career in administration, she exhibited for over a decade in public spaces. Harnessing this experience, she empathizes with how an artist may approach the ideation of a public commission and benefit from the project support to rise to the challenge.
SFG has served an adjunct professor of public art for over 15 years. Of note, Erin Harkey, newly appointed CEO of Americans for the Arts, was mentored under SFG, as have many leading placemaking professionals: Rebecca Ehemann (City of West Hollywood), Tania Picasso (City of Los Angeles) and Rebecca Johnson Rende (City of Austin).
Pat Gomez
Pat Gomez has extensive and varied expertise in public art programming and project management. She is currently with the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture’s Civic Art Division as the Public Art in private Development Senior Program Manager and as a Civic Art Senior Project Manager, having overseen projects with budgets up to $1 million. As a former Creative Services Manager for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan
Transportation Authority (LA Metro), Pat oversaw the identification and placement of public art at rail and bus stations. Among other projects, she oversaw the artist and artwork identification for the K-Line stations.
Previously, she was the Arts Manager for the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs (Public Art Division) responsible for the Arts Development Fee (Private Percent for Art), City Art Collection, and Murals Programs.
During her 11-year tenure she oversaw extensive mural restorations, was the Cultural Affairs representative on the interdepartmental team establishing a new murals ordinance, and oversaw a $20M art collection and multimillion dollar private development art ordinance.
As a private consultant, Pat was a lead contributor for the City of Brea Cultural Arts Master Plan, City of Costa Mesa Art in Public Places Program and Policy Recommendations, City of Irvine Public Art Program and Policy Recommendations, City of Moorpark Arts Master Plan, City of Temecula Arts Component of its Community Services Master Plan, and the Placentia Gateway Public Art Project planning. She developed and authored the Public Art Policy for Contra Costa County, which has been recently adopted by the Board of Supervisors. She has an ongoing role as a public art consultant to Santa Barbara County.