The City of El Paso and the Museums and Cultural Affairs Department (MCAD) of El Paso have announced that Miriam Garcia has been selected for the position of Supervisor of El Paso’s Public Art Program.
Garcia has worked with El Paso’s Public Art program for the past three years as a Capital Improvement Associate. Now she will oversee a portfolio of ongoing commissioned art projects totaling $6.5 million.
Says Tracey Jerome, El Paso’s Deputy City Manager: “We are excited that Miriam’s skills and knowledge will guide our dynamic Public Art Program as we complete upcoming projects that are visually impacting our entire city.”
A graduate with a Bachelor’s of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Texas at El Paso, Garcia has lead several major public art projects, including Sun Pavilion at Blackie Chesher Park, which received a 2018 national CODA Award of Merit for Public Spaces. Her other past projects include overseeing Wagon Sprouts at Travis White Park, Torres de las Flores at the Northgate Transit Terminal, El Paso Passage on Airway Boulevard, Kidzone at the Richard Burges Library, Conexion at the Rich Beem Roundabout, Flores Del Desierto on Airway Boulevard, and Jackrabbit Jumps the Bartlett Ball at Bartlett Park.
The City of El Paso adopted its public art program by a City Council vote in 2006 to integrate public art throughout the city. The Public Art Ordinance authorized 2% from every Capital Improvement Project budget for the acquisition of art for municipal property. Among the city’s upcoming projects are the El Paso Port-All mural commissioned by the Public Art Program for the Stanton Street International Bridge, and a public art commission honoring El Paso’s Men of Company E, by local artist Julio Sanchez de Alba, for the upcoming El Paso Mexican American Cultural Center (MACC).
