Sombra Public Art Series
On Saturday, April 19, the City of Phoenix officially launched Sombra, a new experimental public art series advancing the goals of the Shade PHX Plan. Sombra is a community-rooted initiative that integrates built shade, Indigenous design, and youth-led creativity to address the urgent challenge of extreme urban heat—the most severe climate threat facing Phoenix. The first of several installations debuted at Cielito Park (3402 W. Campbell Ave) with a public celebration featuring art, danza, student voices, and a call to community.
Sombra aims to reimagine shade as cultural infrastructure, activating underutilized public spaces across Phoenix with artistic shade structures co-designed by local artists and youth. The series is being implemented in partnership with the City’s Office of Heat Response and Mitigation and the Office of Arts and Culture, with strategic support from Bloomberg Philanthropies.
Conversations among attendees, many of whom were students, families, and community members from the surrounding area, reflected excitement and curiosity. Audience members frequently approached student artists to ask about their design inspiration and commented on the vibrant, mythical creatures that adorned the structure. These visuals clearly resonated across generations, with multiple attendees mentioning how the imagery felt “joyful,” “powerful,” and “so Phoenix.”
Casual conversations suggested that attendees understood the installation’s dual role as shade and storytelling; several described it as a “blessing” to have something beautiful and functional in their park. Many noted that they were unaware this was part of a citywide plan and asked where future installations would be located, expressing a desire to attend upcoming events and see more artwork in their neighborhoods.
Saturday’s celebration drew an audience of approximately 75 community members, including youth participants from a local high school who co-designed and painted the vibrant shade structure. The event opened with a traditional danza performance and blessing, followed by speeches that emphasized shade equity, cultural identity, and creative resilience.
Speakers included Mitch Menchaca, Director of the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture, participating teachers and students, and the artist team. Mitch highlighted the role of art in advancing solutions to extreme heat, saying:
“This is the kickoff to a summer of experimentation—arts bring joy to our neighborhoods, and they also help us face the most urgent issues of our time, like extreme heat. We want Phoenix to be the most sustainable desert city in the world.”
The student-designed installation featured mythical, vibrant animal imagery, resonating with the local Latino community and drawing on themes of guardianship and transformation. The artists described the design as “functionart”—functional public infrastructure that also tells a story of place and possibility.
“¡Más Sombra!” one artist said as the crowd applauded. “This is how we reach Latinos—with vibrant, mythical animals that evoke curiosity, offer respite, and connect us.”
The Shade PHX Plan—which includes $60 million in investments for 27,000 trees and 500+ shade structures across the city—continues to build momentum. Sombra exemplifies how artistic and equity-focused solutions can be embedded into the built environment, shaping not only the city’s climate resilience strategies but also its social fabric.
Future activations are planned throughout the summer, culminating in a final installation and community celebration this September.