SOMA Filipinas advocates ask Arts Commission to add Gateway to civic arts collection and seek public art trust funding

Three representatives of SOMA Filipinas addressed the San Francisco Arts Commission during the general public comment period to request support for a proposed SOMA Pilipinas Gateway and related legislation.

Raquel Redondias, director of SOMA Filipinas, told commissioners that Supervisor Dorsey has introduced legislation to support the SOMA Pilipinas Gateway and that the group is asking the commission to include the gateway as part of the city’s civic arts collection. "We continue to work with Supervisor Dorsey to find alternative sources of funds," she said and distributed copies of the resolution to commissioners.

Christina Biba, arts administrator with SOMA Filipinas, described a community-led process that included a call for design proposals and 50 constituent participants across seven advisory groups; she said the community unanimously identified a gateway as the most wanted cultural marker in the district and named Francesca Gammes as the selected artist.

David Wu, policy coordinator and land use analyst for SOMA Filipinas, cited the group’s CHESS report — a community-developed Cultural Heritage, Housing and Economic Sustainability Strategies document that the Board of Supervisors passed and the mayor signed — and urged the commission to use undesignated public art trust funds to support the gateway. He said the trust permits permanent public works within a half-mile of the C3 boundary and that the Rest and Folsom location for the gateway fits that description.

Commissioners did not take immediate action during this meeting; the speakers noted the resolution would be heard in committee the following week and offered to keep the commission updated.