TAHOE CITY, Calif. December 5, 2023 – The Placer County Board of Supervisors on Nov. 28 approved a project proposal to place two murals along a section of the Truckee River Trail passing under the Truckee River Bridge.

Known as the Truckee River Bridge Mural Project, the proposed artwork would be located beneath the bridge at each side along the trail’s undercrossings, visible to those using the trail or river. The project proposal was brought forward by the nonprofit Fox Cultural Hall, formerly Arts For The Schools, which has served the North Lake Tahoe region for nearly 40 years.

Creating the proposed murals requires a public agency, such as Placer County, to complete a Caltrans transportation art proposal application, as the mural is within the Caltrans bridge structure. The board’s approval authorizes the county’s Department of Public Works to submit an application for the project. If the application is approved, the project leaders will return to the board to request authorization for the required agreements and encroachment permit application.

Arts For the Schools Mural Project invites Artists to submit a design and qualifications for the opportunity to be selected to paint a mural on an area of the exterior abutment walls under the Truckee River Bridge bike trail (just past the Tahoe City Transit Center), located in Tahoe city, CA.
Arts For the Schools Mural Project invites Artists to submit a design and qualifications for the opportunity to be selected to paint a mural on an area of the exterior abutment walls under the Truckee River Bridge bike trail (just past the Tahoe City Transit Center), located in Tahoe city, CA.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the work of local artists and deliver a message that resonates with the community here in North Lake Tahoe,” said District 5 Supervisor Cindy Gustafson. “Fox Cultural Hall has done a wonderful job soliciting ideas and the community has narrowed it down. I am excited to see the final result.”

Earlier this year, the nonprofit released a call for artists, soliciting mural proposals that reflect at least one of three key themes of environmental stewardship, local history or cultural heritage. This aligns with the county’s Tahoe Basin Area Plan, which promotes “high-quality, innovative and diverse public art that enhances the community and highlights North Tahoe’s unique character, landscape and history.”

The designs were chosen by an evaluation committee consisting of representatives from Fox Cultural Hall, local artists, Placer County, the Tahoe City Downtown Association and the Tahoe City Public Utility District. The committee considered input from more than 500 community members before selecting the two winning proposals: “The Light” by Frida Ticehurst Rivenbark and Tyler J. Rivenbark, and “A Dip Into the Truckee River Ecosystem” by Bryn Merrell and Alex Bailey.

Fox Cultural Hall will fund the creation, installation and removal (if needed) of the murals through grants, donations and other fundraising efforts.