City approves update to public art master plan and new projects

El Paso City Council approved a 2026–2036 Public Art Master Plan Update and a 2026 Public Art Plan that adds three airport projects and sets this year’s priorities.

El Paso City Council approved two plans for the city's Public Art Program: the 2026–2036 Public Art Master Plan Update and the 2026 Public Art Plan. The master plan offers a 10-year roadmap and builds on the 2014 plan. The 2026 plan outlines priorities for this year and adds three new projects in partnership with the El Paso International Airport. The program is funded by a 2-percent set-aside from city capital improvement project budgets. Key details: - The 2026–2036 update was developed with consultants Via Partnership, LLP and Todd W. Bressi, and El Paso-based Kerry Doyle, and it incorporated community input through roundtable discussions, an online questionnaire, and open houses. - The 2026 Public Art Plan adds three airport-related projects, including Boarding Bridges Murals and installations at Concourse A1 and the El Paso International Airport sterile area. - Since the program began in 2006, it has completed 95 projects and worked with 206 artists, about 72 percent of whom are local. - Recent work includes El Paso Faro, a 16-foot mixed-media sculpture installed at the Paso del Norte roundabout in 2025. - The Public Art Program administers the Art Purchase Program and the Allied Artist Program and supports inclusion of public art in private development and infrastructure projects. Summary: The approved plans are intended to guide public art development in El Paso over the next decade while setting short-term priorities for 2026 and adding airport installations. City officials said the update aims to expand access to public art, strengthen community engagement, and support the local arts ecosystem. The Public Art Program reports 20 additional projects in progress, with five nearing completion, and implementation will proceed through the program’s existing funding and partnerships.