About the Project
The Artbox program is the official name for the project in which the City of Medford has partnered with 10 local artists and The Sign Dude to wrap 20 electrical boxes downtown. Carla Paladino, the Principal Planner for Medford, says, “We want to showcase our local artists and bring color and vibrancy to downtown. We hope people exploring downtown enjoy finding these art pieces and seek them out like a scavenger hunt.” Paladino also hopes people will take selfies with the artworks and share them to bring more foot traffic to Downtown Medford.
A brief interview with the mayor suggests Downtown Medford feels more inviting and has gained more positive traction in the last five years.
The project was originally proposed in 2022. Planning, funding, and executing a project this large takes time. In early September 2026, Downtown Medford started to see the results.
The Sign Dude posted a Facebook reel showing the installation process.
How is the project being funded?
The Artbox project is being funded by the 2025-27 Biennial Budget, a two-year budget plan that the Council of Medford is using to ‘identify potential revenue sources and cost-saving opportunities.’ Paladino said that “The Downtown Medford Association also contributed funds toward the project.” The City paid $250 per artwork selected to the artists, and The Sign Dude has a $23,000 contract with Medford to measure, print, and install the 20 artworks. City officials have said they would like to repeat the project if they get funding again.
Project updates
On September 8th The Sign Dude posted an update on Facebook.
The Local Artists
The City of Medford provided the list of artists and artworks below in a recent article on its website. Hyperlinked are profiles found throughout Facebook.
Amy Lopez — Medford and River Fun
Colene Milligan — Coastal Redwoods and Bear with Me
Daniel Oneil — Sugar Plum Acres Zinnias, Lavender Fields Forever, Illinois River, and Applegate Lake
Direlene Wheeler — California Quail and American Kestrel
Jennifer Elliott — Vance Pinto Colvig and Kim Novak
Kailey Ousley — Backyard Beauty
Lonna Jergensen — Medford Pears
Paula Fong — Camas, Pear Blossom, Redwood, and Heron in Creek
Sarah Crooks — Roxy in Purple
Sid Enck Jr. — So Quiet and Still
*If your name is listed here and not hyperlinked to your personal website or profile, and want it to be, please contact me and edits will be made*
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