Skip to content
63°
Public Art in Pasadena

Public Art in Pasadena

Street Art & Public Art in Pasadena

Pasadena's public art scene is flush with colorful murals, sculptures, crosswalk art, utility box art, and other street art created by artists of local and national recognition. Since the 1920's, Pasadena has drawn artists from all over the world with the founding of the Pasadena Art Museum, now known as the Norton Simon Museum. Today, the city has one of California's longest running public art programs featuring contemporary and modern masterpieces on various mediums. Here's a glimpse at the valuable work our community advocates have accomplished.

Greetings from Pasadena

The instantly recognizable artwork created by Greetings Tour can be seen across the world. Founders Victor Ving and photographer Lisa Beggs settled in Pasadena after traveling full time in their RV for over 5 years. Ving's work can be found across Pasadena with beautiful interior and exterior murals, including this one at Highlight Coffee.

THE CITY OF PASADENA'S PUBLIC ART PROGRAM

First established in the late 1980s, the public art program requires that 1% of the building valuation of both new private development and municipal construction projects in the city is dedicated to public art. Visitors can enjoy Pasadena's art by taking self-guided walking tours provided by the program. Additional collections are available the ArtCenter College of Design, CalTech and Pasadena City College.

PLAYHOUSE VILLAGE DISTRICT - PASADENA'S ARTS DISTRICT

A stroll through Playhouse Village is a bucket list item when visiting Pasadena. The canopied streets lined with historic buildings are also home to numerous public art installations and we're here to remind you to watch where you step. The crosswalk art program is one of the most unique street art installations, creating incredible works at some of the most popular intersections and attractions.

Pasadena Chalk Festival

Since its inception in 1993, the Pasadena Chalk Festival has welcomed visitors and artists from across the country. In 2010, the festival was officially named the largest street painting festival by the Guinness World Record drawing more than 600 artists and more than 100,000 visitors in one weekend. Mark your calendars for a June visit to Pasadena's Paseo to experience it live and in person.

Must-see Public Art

There's a lot of street art, murals and sculptures to check out during your Pasadena visit. We've put together a list of the must-see sculptures and murals for you to enjoy.