Utility Box Art | A Guide to South Pasadena’s Public Art Project

South Pasadena has an enduring arts legacy and culture that dates back for decades. From South Pasadena resident Nelbert Chouinard establishing the Chouinard Art Institute in 1921 to Judson Studios to Arts Crawls to the Museum of Free Art to local art galleries, art is a part of South Pasadena’s fabric.

In 2015, SPARC partnered with the City of South Pasadena to transform the plain traffic signal boxes scattered throughout town into beautiful works of art. These boxes were painted by local artists and are varied in style, with many showcasing themes specific to South Pasadena. The initial ten boxes were greeted with much enthusiasm and praise from the community that SPARC commissioned twenty more boxes culminating in a total of thirty boxes completed.

Public art builds community and these boxes capture the spirit of South Pasadena’s unique history and distinctive culture.

800 block of Mission Street

900 block of Mission Street next to the Gold Line Station

Northwest corner of Monterey Road and Fremont Avenue

Northwest corner of Monterey Road and Fair Oaks Avenue

Southeast corner of Fair Oaks Avenue and Oxley Street

Southeast corner of Fair Oaks Avenue and El Centro Street

1000 block of Fremont Avenue – in front of South Pasadena post office

Southwest corner of Mission Street and Fair Oaks Avenue

Northeast corner of Mission Street and Fremont Avenue

Northeast corner of Fair Oaks Avenue and Hope Street

Southwest corner of Mission Street and Garfield Avenue

Northeast corner of Huntington Drive and Marengo Avenue

Northeast corner of Mission Street and Grand Avenue

Northeast corner of Fair Oaks Ave and Oak Avenue

Northwest corner of Fair Oaks Avenue and Rollin Street

Southwest corner of Fair Oaks Avenue and Bank Street

Northwest corner of Monterey Road and Diamond Avenue

Northwest corner of Monterey Road and Meridian Avenue

Northwest corner of Monterey Road and Loma Vista Court

Northeast corner of Monterey Road and Railroad Alley

Southeast corner of Pasadena Avenue and Arroyo Verde Road

Northeast corner of Fremont Avenue and Grevelia Street

Northwest corner of State Street and Raymondale Drive

Southwest corner of Fair Oaks Avenue and Columbia Street

Southwest corner of Fremont Avenue and Oak Street

Northwest corner of Huntington Drive and Fletcher Avenue

Southwest corner of Fremont Avenue and Bank Street

Northwest corner of Fremont Avenue and Rollin Street

Northwest corner of Fremont Avenue and Elm Park Street

Northeast corner of Fremont Avenue and Huntington Drive

Rick Leddy, a local writer, was inspired by the SPARC project and wrote poems for each box. His art is represented in the SPARC Utility Art Box Book along with the art of each box. Pre-order your book today and proceeds will go to the South Pasadena Arts Council.