Two of the utility boxes beautified during the 2018 emPOWERment project as seen in October 2023. Photo: TownLift // Kirsten Kohlwey

PARK CITY, Utah — In 2018, nine utility boxes received makeovers through the EmPOWERment project. The art was applied to the utility boxes in 2019 and was expected to last two to five years. After four and a half years, the original utility boxes are still holding up remarkably well.

This October, it’s time for the next 40 utility boxes to brighten up the town. Despit a tight submission deadline, Park City Municipal, in partnership with Rocky Mountain Power, received over 100 submissions for designs.

Park City’s Public Art Advisory Board selected 40 artworks created by local artists, young and old.

Where to find the outdoor art

Look for the boxes along Round Valley Way, near the hospital, clinic and peace house. Another group is on Park Ave between 9th and 15th streets. Deer Valley Drive features nine of these utility boxes. All artwork is expected to be installed by the end of October.

All 40 of the utility boxes are within the Park City city limits. You can find a map of the utility boxes in the application documents.

Utility box by golf course and Hotel Park City

What is the art?

The artwork chosen ranges from works created by young artists to historical images to a wide range of colorful artwork created by local artists. Some of the local artists, who participated in the emPOWERment project, are AD Allegretti, Karen Millar-Kendall, Renee Mox Hall and Linda McCausland.

This project has four goals. One is to beautify public utility infrastructure around Park City in a way that will work in any season and makes sense for the location. Artists were given the locations of the utility boxes to be beautified.

One of the artworks, displayed near the police station, for example, highlights the natural landscape.

Utility box behind Park City police station

Community engagement

The other three goals are

To engage the community by soliciting art from local producers and the community.
To engage the community in City Council’s critical priorities and lenses.
To integrate the theme of the project with the scale and physical space of the utility boxes.

Themes covered by the chosen artwork range from dark skies to mining history to wildlife and housing.