Longmont’s Utility Boxes Get a Colorful Make‑over

A new art project will turn the city’s electric boxes into bright canvases, thanks to a community vote that chose ten artists. The selection happened after residents cast more than 500 ballots between April 23 and May 18, choosing designs that will appear across Longmont later this year. The winning artists include Jon Fukuda, the Ghera duo, Joyanna Rose Gittings, Stephanie Jordan, Isis Ramirez, Travis Rueckert, Aleta Sherman, Kathy Sievering, Dustin Spencer and Savanna Sulaiman.

Some of the pieces celebrate Colorado’s 150‑year statehood and the U. S. Declaration of Independence’s 250th anniversary, while others showcase local landscapes and nature scenes in styles ranging from realistic to stylized. Artists must finish their work by October 31, and each receives a $2, 000 stipend to cover materials. The city supplies the boxes and coordinates their locations after providing training. Since its start in 2010, the Shock Art program has let residents help decide which designs get painted. Applications for next year’s competition will open in the spring, inviting new talent to join the effort.

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