Beating the heat in Arizona is no easy task. However, shade can bring some temporary relief to residents looking to escape triple-digit temperatures, and can be an opportunity for art.
The Phoenix Arts & Culture Department is commissioning shade installations made by public artists. It’s called the “¡Sombra!” public art project, and nine artists were selected to create temporary installations at several city parks.
“We worked with the Office of Heat Response and Mitigation to help us identify areas of town that were hotter. We also considered other factors, like was the site large enough to accommodate a temporary installation,” said Carrie Brown, who is with the city.
“Our project focuses on extreme urban heat. And so the artists that we selected will be creating shade installations to address that local civic issue,” she said.
Brown said they identified which parks would have the installations.
“We worked with the Office of Heat Response and Mitigation to help us identify areas of town that were hotter. We also considered other factors, like was the site large enough to accommodate a temporary installation,” she said.
Funding for the project comes in the form of a $1 million grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies.
The artists will work with residents and city officials to finalize their design concepts. Their work will be unveiled in spring 2025.
