Student Artists Transform Taos Utility Boxes into a Public Gallery

Utility boxes in Taos are often targets for vandalism and graffiti, tarnishing public spaces and detracting from the community’s beauty. It’s a longstanding problem that Taos MainStreet found success solving in 2022 by wrapping several utility boxes in local artwork. Hoping to build on those efforts, staff with Taos MainStreet came up an innovative idea: use local students to create new art for utility boxes. To get the program up and running, they reached out to LOR for support. LOR’s funding will help Taos MainStreet hire a local artist to teach middle and high school students about public art principles and guide them in creating artwork for 18 utility boxes, turning everyday infrastructure into an outdoor gallery that stops vandalism and celebrates the creative talent of Taos youth.