Read the full article by Marie-Elena Schembri at CapRadio
For an artist, finding opportunities to show and share their work can be hard. Even rarer are opportunities that put money in the bank. Sacramento artist Uli Smith, however, has found plenty of work as a professional muralist, thanks in part to the thriving creative culture of one of Sacramento’s most treasured neighborhoods.
In 2023, Smith was hired by Midtown Association — an owners association for two Property Business Improvement Districts (PBID) and two Restaurant Business Improvement Districts centered in the Sacramento neighborhood — to paint public art for its dog park. The 7-foot-tall concrete sculpture at Truitt Bark Park at the corner of 18th and Q streets, which spells out the word BARK, was Smith’s first time working with the Midtown Association, but it wouldn’t be the last.
At its annual gala and fundraiser, Midtown Love, this May, Smith was awarded “Artist of the Year” by the association. The gala at The Mansion Apartments celebrated Midtown Association’s 40th year in business and raised over $84,000 to support events and services, including Second Saturday, which is perhaps one of the most impactful ways that artists find opportunities in the urban core. With a lit up dance floor over a glowing pool filled with rubber duckies, fire dancing, art and food, the event provided a chance for creatives, business owners and city leaders to rub elbows and engage in the arts.