A utility box is probably one of the last places anyone expects to find public art.

That is precisely why Torrance’s Utility Box Public Art Program makes an interesting Hidden Gem.

The City and Cultural Arts Commission created the program to turn otherwise ordinary street infrastructure into small public-art installations.

One of the program’s first installations can be found at the corner of Madrona Avenue and Torrance Boulevard. 

Instead of a plain metal box, the location features artwork celebrating the City of Torrance, along with a QR code connecting residents with city information.

The broader idea is simple: put art somewhere people already travel instead of requiring people to visit a museum or gallery.

The City says participating utility-box designs are created by artists and installed using vinyl wraps that receive UV and anti-graffiti protection. 

Torrance has increasingly expanded public art into murals, sculptures and other spaces around the city, but the utility-box project may be the easiest one to miss.

That also makes discovering one part of the fun.

The next time you are stopped at an intersection, take a look around.

You may be sitting next to one of Torrance’s smallest art galleries.

Article Link: Explore Torrance Public Art