Last year, we received input from veterans and others on the vision for the public art that will be featured on the upper plateau at Veterans Memorial Park. After issuing a national Call for Artists Qualifications to recruit potential artists or artist teams for the project, the city received 35 qualified applications. Now, we are getting ready to select the artist.

On April 25, a Public Art Advisory Subcommittee made up of four community members, two members of the city’s Arts Commission and one arts professional will meet for the first time to review the applications.

• The panel will discuss and score each application. If the commission runs out of time to review all 35, they’ll continue the discussion at another meeting on May 30.
• The goal is to narrow the field down to three to five artists who will be invited to make presentations at a future meeting.
• The selected artist will gather public input to help shape the public art design concept.

Public Art Advisory Subcommittee meeting
Thursday, April 25, 5 p.m.
Council Chamber
1200 Carlsbad Village Drive

The city’s contains links to all the artist applications. You can provide input to the subcommittee at the meeting or beforehand via email. The agenda includes all the details on how to participate. You can also sign up for email updates about the public art project.

About Veterans Memorial Park
Located on 93.7 acres near the intersection of Faraday Avenue and Cannon Road, Veterans Memorial Park will become the city’s largest park when it opens in 2026 and the first to recognize and honor the nation’s veterans.

The park has been designed based on community input. It will include places for quiet contemplation as well as active uses like the city’s first bike track and a nature-inspired playground. More than half of the park site will be set aside as a nature preserve, and the overall design honors Carlsbad’s natural environment.

More information
Public Art Advisory Subcommittee web page
Veterans Memorial Park Public Art web page