By Sara Beth Williams–
The Citrus Heights City Council on Wednesday unanimously approved the formation of an official Citrus Heights Arts District.
The new Arts District will encompass the stretch of Auburn Boulevard from the Sylvan Community Center to the northern city limits, an area already home to several public murals and creative projects. The designation aims to encourage investment in local art, promote cultural tourism, and strengthen community partnerships while building on recent grassroots efforts by local artists and organizations, according to the city.
“I am excited,” Vice Mayor Marijane Lopez-Taff said following the unanimous 3-0 vote to approve the Art District’s formation. Mayor Jayna Karpinski-Costa and councilmember Kelsey Nelson were both absent from the Oct. 22 meeting.
While there is no immediate fiscal impact associated with the district’s creation, staff noted that existing city programs, such as Community Projects Grants, History and Arts Grants, or Neighborhood Improvement Partnership Grants could be leveraged to support future arts initiatives.
Any additional funding needs for signage, events, or installations would be brought before the council as part of future budget discussions or through external grant opportunities.
Citrus Heights has increasingly invested in arts and cultural programming over the past few years. The city partnered with the nonprofit Citrus Heights Arts to launch several events and initiatives such as the ArtBeat art and music Festival, supported multiple mural installations along Auburn Boulevard, and recently introduced the Art in City Hall initiative, a pop-up gallery providing local artists with a space to display their work in a public setting.
In March 2025, staff presented a report exploring ways to further the goal of incorporating arts and culture into the city, inspired in part by a research trip to the 40 West Arts District in Lakewood, Colorado. The 40 West district transformed a once underutilized corridor into a thriving creative hub, according to the city, generating millions in local economic activity and attracting over 100,000 annual visitors.
Citrus Heights officials say the Auburn Boulevard corridor offers similar potential. Rather than developing a single large-scale project, the city plans to take an incremental, community-driven approach that blends art, design, and partnerships with ongoing revitalization efforts.
Following months of discussion and research, the City Council’s Arts and Culture Ad Hoc 2×2 Committee recommended the creation of the district and outlined next steps. These include the development of partnerships with local artists, nonprofits, and the Chamber of Commerce, designing a Citrus Heights Arts District logo through a community call for artists, creating a Public Bench Art Program, inviting local businesses to host artist-designed benches and exploring opportunities for state certification as an official cultural district.
“The Arts District represents the next step in strengthening the city’s identity and connecting people through creativity,” said city staff in their report. “By celebrating local talent and cultivating a sense of place, Citrus Heights can continue to grow as a vibrant and welcoming community.”
