Celebrate the Unveiling of Touch the Sky, the First Installation in San Rafael’s Public Art Program

Ribbon cutting scheduled for May 6, San Rafael Vice Mayor to Present

The City of San Rafael and the Downtown San Rafael Arts District invite the community to celebrate the unveiling of Touch the Sky, a sculpture by artist Martin Taylor and the first of five new installations in San Rafael's Public Art Program.

The ribbon cutting will take place on Wednesday, May 6, at 12:30 p.m. at the San Rafael Community Center, 618 B Street.

Community members and visitors are invited to attend the ribbon cutting event, experience the intricate and majestic sculpture up close, and celebrate the role of public art in bringing creativity, connection, and new energy to downtown San Rafael and its growing Arts District.

The event will also feature an original poetry reading by poet and San Rafael resident Maura Harvey. The award-winning poet was so inspired byTouch the Sky that she wrote a new poem for the occasion, which she will recite in both English and Spanish during the unveiling.

Vice Mayor Kertz will also speak at the ribbon cutting, commenting on the significance of art in our community.

A New Chapter for Public Art in Downtown San Rafael

Touch the Sky marks the beginning of three months of new art installations arriving in downtown San Rafael. The Public Art Program is funded bya generous $250,000 grant from the California Arts Council and will bring five new public art installations, including murals, mosaics, and sculptures, to highly visible locations across downtown.

The program is designed to enhance downtown vitality, celebrate San Rafael's cultural identity, support economic vitality, and strengthen San Rafael's role as the arts hub of Marin County.

The creation of the installations is now underway following a community-centered selection process. The City of San Rafael announced a call for artists that closed at the end of July 2025. The following month, the Public Art Program Jury reviewed submissions and selected semifinalists.

The public was then invited to provide feedback on the semifinalist proposals during a public comment period in October 2025. After consideration of the public feedback, the Public Art Program Jury Public and Art Review Board presented the recommendations to the San Rafael City Council, which approved the selection on February 2, 2026.

Public Art Program Locations

Five city-owned sites have been identified for artwork installations as part of the Public Art Program:

• 2nd and 4th Street Project Lane Divider (Touch the Sky's permanent location)
• Court Plaza - 1000 4th Street
• C Street at 3rd Street Garage
• 2nd Street at Ida Street Retaining Wall
• Outside City Hall

About Touch the Sky and Martin Taylor

Artist Martin Taylor's Touch the Sky is a striking sculpture made from stainless steel, patinated steel, and gold paint. With its dynamic sense of motion, light, and upward reach, the piece showcases Taylor's distinctive "metal origami" style and comes to San Rafael after previous exhibitions in Napa and Vacaville.

The sculpture will be temporarily displayed at the San Rafael Community Center before moving later this year to its permanent home at the 2nd and 4th Street Project Lane Divider, where it will help enrich San Rafael's growing Arts District.

Event Details

What: Touch the Sky sculpture unveiling and ribbon cutting
When: Wednesday, May 6, 12:30 p.m.
Where: San Rafael Community Center, 618 B Street
Who: City of San Rafael, Downtown San Rafael Arts District, artist Martin Taylor, Vice Mayor Kertz, and poet Maura Harvey.

Cost: FREE