Marana’s Public Art Review Committee is preparing to onboard a new member while moving forward with several new art efforts.

The committee’s mission is to designate locations for public art and review design proposals.

Committee member Hope MacDonald resigned in June, with the application period for her replacement closing on July 11. The committee discussed the application process during its July 16 meeting, with board member and Assistant to the Town Manager Andrea De la Cruz telling the group that four people had applied.

The committee consists of seven members divided into two categories: town representatives and local arts community members.

Town representatives include De la Cruz, Development Services Director Jason Angell, Public Works Director and Town Engineer Fausto Burruel, Parks and Recreation Director Jim Conroy and Communications Manager Vic Hathaway.

MacDonald was one of two local arts community members, along with Elizabeth Horrigan, who each serve a four-year term.

After the discussion, committee members unanimously approved work for a new mural project on a water tower along Twin Peaks Road.

Updates to the draft proposal included the possibility of creating miniature replicas or renderings of the mural that could be used for display or as gifts, as had been done with previous art projects. They also recommended adding details about surface preparation materials, insurance requirements and a clear timeline, with board members deciding the project must be completed by June 2026.

To be considered for the project, artists can submit samples of various types of artwork they’ve completed in the past and are not limited to murals on water towers.

The committee selected the El Rio Preserve Expansion as the next focus area. The preserve is a human-made lake in the upper Tucson Mountains surrounded by walking and biking trails and opportunities for birdwatching. Members said the planned sculpture could complement the preserve and nearby disc golf course.

They said a future visit to the preserve would help them find the best spot for the new installation.

Committee member De la Cruz talked about the June 20 unveiling of the town’s new “Wings Over Marana” art piece at the Marana Regional Airport, where a crowd of 60 people gathered to celebrate the occasion.

The installation, which sits at the airport’s entrance, commemorates the role of the North American AT-6 Texan in Marana’s history and its impact during World War II.

It was created through a partnership between the Marana Unified School District and Pima Association of Governments as part of the Transportation Art by Youth program.

TABY grants focus on engaging youth in the creation of public art related to transportation projects. They provide opportunities for young artists to work with a professional artist to design and create public artwork in Southern Arizona.

The program offers paid opportunities for creative youth while fostering mentorship, artistic skill-building and a sense of civic pride.

Board members discussed considering a similar partnership with MUSD to design or create the artwork for the Cal-Portland River Loop Path project, saying that they’d first need to explore art along similar paths to determine what will work best.

McKenna Manzo is a University of Arizona alum and Tucson Spotlight intern. Contact her at mckennamanzo@arizona.edu.

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