Art in Public Places

With Anaheim's Disneyland and Fullerton's historical Downtown, Brea might look like just another city in Orange County. However, starting more than 30 years ago, the city became a 24-hour outdoor art gallery.

In 1975, the city began the Art in Public Places program designed to incorporate beauty with developments. This meant that for private developers, 1% of every $1.5 million the company spent on a project must be designated to a piece of monumental public artwork. With more than 140 pieces of art sprinkled across Brea, the city sets itself apart from neighboring cities through its love of art and beauty.

The art program's start may have had something to do with attracting visitors to admire the artwork, but the initial reasons were simply to add art and culture to the community.

"[Brea officials] always wanted to involve performance and visual art around the city," said Diana Miller, City of Brea Public Art Specialist. "Even prior to 1975, the mayor had tried to talk developers into putting artwork up."

Now, 31 years and 143 sculptures later, Brea continues to set itself apart as a city that values its art and culture.