City of Vancouver seeks public art for utility boxes

The city of Vancouver is turning to local artists in hopes of reducing acts of vandalism on public property.

In a memo, the city's graffiti management program put out a callasking artists to submit designs that could wrap27gray utility boxes scattered around the region.

The project is meant to enhance "the public realm by adding local artists' work to surfaces that had often been targeted by vandalism."

Artists will be paid $1,000 for each design selected.

According to the outlined criteria,preference will be given to designs with "limited or nostylizedtext or names."

The deadline for submission is April 6.

In 2015, the city said it successfully implemented a similarpilot project in the West End.

Prior to that, starting in 2011,Emily Carr University partnered with the city and the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association to wraputility boxes along Granville Street.