The primary areas of focus for the City Arts programs are public art, arts funding, arts promotion, and marketing Chico as an arts and culture destination.

The public art program includes the placement of art on city owned property; the inclusion of artists on design teams for capital improvement projects; a fund matching program for public art on private property; a voluntary program for including public art in private developments; an annual placement of local art work in downtown business windows; facilitation of donations to the City’s Public Art Collection; coordination of smaller art projects through the Individual Artist MIni-Grant Program; and the exhibition of local artists’ work in City Hall.

The arts funding program consists of an annual allocation by the City Council of General Funds to Chico Urban Area arts organizations, programs, and individual artists through Community Organization Funding in the Arts Category.

The City of Chico funds the promotion and marketing of the arts through Chico Artoberfest, a month long celebration of arts and culture and umbrella marketing campaign held every October. This includes the Mayor’s Awards for Achievement in the Arts, the Downtown Window Art Project, and the kick-off event, Chico Palio.