Why the city put hiring muralists on hold

Sacramento has a ton of epic murals. The city’s Wide Open Walls festival, which began in 2017, brought artists including the famous Shepard Fairy, to create works like the towering Johnny Cash mural. The event featured walking tours of neighborhoods and events that celebrated local artists. 

Today, the picture is much different. The city is not actively engaging in any mural projects, according to Donald Gensler, the city’s Art in Public Places Manager. The move comes after recent enforcement of a 1971 state law that requires all muralists to be licensed contractors. 

“We comply with all licensing and state laws when we hire artists,” Gensler told Insight host Vicki Gonzalez. “And because the law right now is being interpreted to essentially say they need a commercial painting license, you’re not going to see those projects.”

A new bill, SB 456, would exempt mural artists from licensing requirements. Many in the Sacramento arts community are rallying in support, and hopeful for a return to fully embracing muralists.

Sacramento muralist Jaya King says the law creates huge hurdles for artists like her. The licensing requirements include passing two exams, annual fees and having workers comp insurance, King told Gonzalez recently on Insight.

“It goes so far into this financial and administrative burden that it really stops folks from even being able to jump into the public art scene,” she said. 

King fully supports the new bill. “It protects us artists from being misclassified or worse -  from being criminalized,” she said. 

Julie Baker, CEO for California for the Arts, said the law was intended for painting contractors, not muralists.

“It's a real distinction between what is a muralist and a painter – whether that's a commercial painter, a house painter, a sign painter,” Baker said on Insight. “Often there are people who don't understand what a muralist does and how this is a fine art and about expression.” 

King agreed. “This goes beyond just holding a brush and it really has to do with that connection that artists bring,” she said.

A mural that was created as part of the statewide Clean California project. Courtesy of Jaya King

Milpitas, Palo Alto, and Stockton have also paused their mural projects, Baker added.

SB 456 passed unanimously through the Senate Committee on Business, Professions and Economic Development and is now in another committee. 

The only opposition noted in bill analysis documents appears to be a group called “Fight Back in Sac.” The group said, “The language in SB 456 at present is too ambiguous, and will create costly interpretations for the licensing board which is already unable to keep up with unlicensed contracting enforcement.” 

City officials like Gensler are hopeful that SB 456 will pass. 

“We will continue to hire licensed contractors for installation work to comply with all state laws and requirements,” he said. “But we feel that muralists clearly are an exception and should be recognized as such in the law in order to really allow this great art form to continue in a state that has been a leader in mural making and muralism in the country and even across the world.”

Listen to the full conversation with Gensler, King and Baker here.