Carlsbad Beach Chair Art Project - Artist Call
Local and regional artists sought to paint oversized beach chairs for public display throughout Carlsbad. Support local art while creating functional public ...
Carlsbad is extending its temporary art program that began in 2019, which places colorfully painted oversized beach chairs in public places around the city. Each wooden chair is the same size and shape, but every one is painted with a unique design and color scheme by a local or regional artist chosen by the Carlsbad Arts Commission.
The beach chair idea was proposed to the city in 2019 by Fallbrook artist Michael Stutz, a sculptor who designed the beach chair itself, which is large enough to seat two or three people at once. Previous participating artists include Ron Juncal, Christopher Polentz, Betsy Schultz, and Nan Coffey.
Chairs have been installed at various locations including the public plaza at State Street and Grand Avenue in downtown Carlsbad's Village, the Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation's Nature Center, and the Children's Garden at the Dove Library. The program rotates chairs throughout the city and creates opportunities to support and encourage local and regional artists.
The Carlsbad Arts Commission recently voted unanimously to extend the program and create an advisory subcommittee to select new locations and issue a call for artists. Funding for the project is available from the city's library and cultural arts operating budget.