francisco bay area region was created for the america's cup, and i hope it stays with us for many years. i want to see the giants win the world series again, and already with spring training coming up, there's this feeling of exhilaration about the giants again, and i hope that the 49ers stay in the city, and bayview hunters for development is a key part of that. so i'll be making sure we are in communication because i think sports really helps encourage even children and our families to see that athletic and physical activity is so important in healthy lifestyles. >> are there any other issues that concern you that we have not discussed or areas that you plan to concentrate on throughout your remaining term as supervisor? >> some people do not know that we serve on a lot of other committees. i serve on the bay area quality -- air quality management district, and we are trying to clean the air, and there are

days when it gets really hot and muggy, and we encourage people to think about air quality and share their cars or vehicles with others that take their bikes to work, like i do once a month now, or even to ride the bus more and to really stop our addiction to oil and reliance on cars. i know that the transportation authority that we also said on, each member of the board of supervisors -- we are trying to think about how to manage the congested in the heaviest, densest parts of the city. we're trying to look at different ways to insure that we're keeping the air clean, but also ensuring that it is not too congested, especially in the downtown area. but i let -- i love my work on the board of supervisors. it is often hard as the father of a soon-to-be middle schoolers to balance my work and roll on the board, but it has been a wonderful honor to serve the people of the richmond district and the city, and i love the challenges before us as well, so

i appreciate your questions about all the things we are doing. >> it looks like we are out of time, so we have to wrap these things up. we have been talking to a supervisor mar from district 1. thank you for talking with us. what's the next episode when we will return with a number of our 11 city supervisors. >> welcome to art in store fronts. i am director of postal affairs for the san francisco art

commission. it is my pleasure to welcome you and the artists, the community partners, the vendors, and folks in san francisco for this launch. [applause] i want to start by thanking -- we had a long list because this has been a great production, so you have to bear with me. we want to start by thanking the john's brothers piano company -- the johns brothers piano company. we want to thank the d.c. piano company from berkeley for providing the piano for tonight's launch. [applause] last year, we got a fabulous grant to help make a really significant investment throughout the year, and we launched what is called the artery project. it is a pun for all the different ways that market

street works for us. it is a major summer program for the city, and at the same time, we have been using the arts to reinvigorate and reconnect people with this fabulous commercial and civic thoroughfare, so the artery project launched this year. today's are in store fronts is part of that initiative -- art in storefronts is part of that initiative. i hope you all picked up one of these fabulous programs that were printed up today because it gives you a map. it also gives you coupons and identifies all of the artists participating in the artery project and the art in store front program, and i want to thank "the examiner" for printing this up and distributing it to the entire

city today. [applause] we have some great partners in the artery project. we are standing here in front of the new home of the home for the arts -- the home of the arts gallery. plaza -- [applause] they have been fabulous partners with us throughout the whole artery project. tonight, there's a recession and an opening, and we encourage you to visit and sit down with them -- there's a recession and an opening. down at the plaza, you can see two magnificent sculptures. [applause] while you dance with the space cowboy dj collective. [applause] so there is an incentive to work our way down market street today.

some of the local merchants are staying open late for this lot and programming in there were, or they are offering coupons, which you will find in your program today. this year, rickshaw is a san francisco company creating art in storefronts bags. [applause] one of our artists whose work is directly across over there. these bags are available for sale for $100, but we have 10 to raffle off today. sari, one of these today. [laughter] -- sorry, one of these today.

[laughter] we are sliding back on our promises today. i know you can go online and in some additional bags -- win some additional bags. you have to take a photograph of an art in storefront side, uploaded to twitter or flickr or facebook and enter to get one of these custom bags. somebody had a clipboard around here. where is the clipboard? ok, there is the clipboard over there. it is going to be circulating around, and mayor ed lee is going to pick the first winner of this bag. before i introduce our distinguished elected official,

we have a number of bank used -- thank-yous we want to share with you. revitalizing the neighborhood requires the efforts of a whole big village. so we have got david adderfield, byron yee, mark casagrande, and i would like to ask you all to join me in thanking them for their support of art in storefronts. [applause] today, we have to thank as well the artists who were selected to be part of this program. i want to read their names and ask you all to collectively

acknowledge them. [reading names] [applause] let's give them all a big round of applause. [applause] you know, these are the artists that competed for this honor and distinction out of a pool of about 150 applicants. it really gives you a sense of how many artists are active in san francisco, how many artists

want to be part of bringing their art to the public. so it is a great distinction and honor for them to have been selected. thank you so much for everything that you did and your contribution to make art in storefronts a success. if i come back to the microphone, i want to be able to introduce -- we have two distinguished speakers. do you have an order of preference? [laughter] i'm going to introduce first our president of the board of supervisors and a great supporter of the arts, david chiu. [applause] supervisor chiu: good evening, everyone. who is excited that it is friday? [applause] are there any artists here tonight? all right. is there anyone representing

[inaudible] this is an amazing announcement. a number of years ago, -- did i hear hunters point is here? the host city is here. i want to thank you for representing everything that is great about san francisco. and number of years ago, mayor lee's predecessor and i had a conversation about what we need to do about two issues facing san francisco. one of them was the fact that we have way too many vacant storefronts all over the city, and the other was the fact that we have incredible artists who had not been able to find spaces to showcase their art. like peanut butter meeting chocolate, we are bringing our store fronts, our incredible art together, and i'm happy to be part of the celebration of what is wonderful about san francisco. i am also very excited about the fact that we're doing this here in the street corner.

mayor lee and i stood on that street corner helping to announce new legislation that we hope is going to help revitalize these neighborhoods. the neighborhood that we are in now, the central market area, the tenderloin, has been blighted for decades. we have had way too much crime, way too much unemployment, way too many vacant storefronts. for this program to help turn this neighborhood around, again, showcase the best, the brightest, the most colorful designs, the most creative of who we are as san franciscans -- i am just happy to be part of this, so give yourselves a hand, and thank goodness it is friday. [applause] >> thank you, president chiu. the san francisco arts commission has 15 commissioners appointed by the mayor every month -- appointed by the mayor. every week, they volunteer their

time to help shape the cultural policy of the city of san francisco. tonight, we have the president of the san francisco arts commission, p.j. johnson. we also have jerry young, one of our commissioners. [applause] do we have any other commissioners? i'm not seeing you. they all work very hard on the citizens of san francisco, thank you, commissioners, for being here and for everything that you do. now, the final thank you before introducing the grandmaster. we have been fiber non-profit arts community -- we have a vibrant non-profit arts community that is part of this project, the central market community benefit district. those beautiful sculptures are

brought to you by black rock arts foundation and burning man. [applause] we have got to thank a lot of our civic partners in government. supervisor kim's office. the mayor's office on disability. the mayor's office of neighborhood services, the mayor's office of economic and workforce development, which is really a key partner for us in this. let's give them a warm round of applause. [applause] the department of public works. the public utilities commission. last but not least, i want to thank the staff of the arts commission and the leadership that brought this even to gather -- this event together. let's give them a warm round of

applause. [applause] now, it is my pleasure to introduce to you a person who is really one of the founders of the idea that market street could be revitalized by reintroducing the arts in the non-profit arts community to this area. he has been a champion before he was mayor, of the idea of creating an arts district along market street. it really is my pleasure to introduce to you the great mayor of san francisco, edwin lee. [applause] mayor lee: everybody, thank you very much for coming out to the artery of arteries in san francisco. i want to also acknowledge the

wonderful work that the arts foundation is doing. they were the first agency that we were able to fund back when i was city administrator, when we were thinking, how could we start changing the street? we had that old theater that was and did already, but it still look like a porn theater. we were all reminded of how vibrant arts was. we started looking at the site, and they were looking at it, and we finally were able to give a little grant called the community challenge grant, and we emphasize the word challenge. the gray arts foundation took up that challenge, and now they are expanding, and now we have fantastic murals open tonight, and they were the first, but they led the effort after the arts commission and grants of the arts went to work along with the mayor's office.

i know north dakota is there, and she is working very hard because none of this happen without the partnership of so many people coming together, and all of you have come together tonight not just to help out. you are going to have fun tonight with the three different receptions going on and the parties that are going to go on here, and there will be many more for all of us to be here safely and be here extending all the population to come down here and have great fun, enjoy the cultural arts, as well as the people in the tenderloin, the mid-market, south of market , everyplace else. people want to come gather here. we are doing all the other things necessary to build partnerships. that is what the arts commission has been able to do. i want to thank luis and his wonderful commission for leadership on this effort because that partnership has brought out some $10,000 from blick art materials to

contribute to the united nations plaza open air arts festival. thank you. where are you? [applause] in addition, san francisco beautiful with its $3,000 contribution. thank you. then, of course, the black rock arts foundation. thank you very much, bernie mahon, and all of you for coming together, helping us out. that is going to give a lot more incentive for other agencies to come and start contributing as well. -- thank you very much, bernie mahon -- burning man. i want to thank the artists that have come together here to recognize them and for their contribution. if you give with art, it will be sustained with art. you are going to find a lot more people discovering all the beauty of this neighborhood, and

is led by all of you here tonight. thank you for being here. [applause] we got off the grid trucks. two trucks here tonight. we have sculptures. we have john brothers piano company. thank you for this, coming out here. is david around here? come on, show up. i also want to give a shout up to our san francisco police department. [applause] as we transition, people will -- will be safer and safer as they know that our officers are around here. their presence allows the natural transition for everything to occur. it is still struggling for a lot of people to see the transition, but it is real. it is coming. we are making all the right decisions, but we know you are here because you have faith and hope. thank you very much. [applause]

>> let's see who is extremely lucky. and the winner of the prestigious specially designed bag -- well, they have a name. i would rather read the name, right? nell lomac. do you have to be here to win? >> yes. >> they better come out. all right, you have to be here.

you have to come right up front. here is a real winner. a number, no name. 7852368. up in center. one more time. [laughter] 785 -- all right. 2368. come on out here. [applause] this is -- [inaudible] >> verified winner. >> congratulations. [applause] now we are going to go around the corner and unveil the mural. do not forget the after party at the gray area luggage store and

hospitality house. all right.

>> san francisco is home to a renowned civic art collection that includes a comic works -- iconic works by local and national artists integrated into our public buildings and six basis. the arts commission has struggled to take care of the priceless collection because of limited resources. in an effort to gather more funding for the maintenance of the collection, the art commission has joined forces with the san francisco art dealers association to establish art care, a new initiative that provides a way for the public to get involved. the director of public affairs recently met with the founder and liquor -- local gallery owner to check out the first art care project. ♪

>> many san franciscans are not aware that there is a civic art collection of numbers almost 4000 works of art. preserving the collection and maintaining it is something being addressed by a new program called art care. it is a way for citizens to participate in the preservation of the civic art collection. with me is the creator of the art care program. welcome. the reason we wanted to interview you is that the artist in question is peter volkas. why is he so important to the history of san francisco art? >> he is a very famous ceramic

ist. knowing the limitations of clay, he got involved in bronze in around 1962. he was teaching at the university of california, berkeley. >> your gallery celebrated the 50th anniversary of continuous operation. you are a pioneer in introducing the work and representing him. >> i have represented him since 1966. i was not in business until 1961. he made a big deal out of working in clay. the things he was doing was something never seen before. >> it is a large scale bronze. it has been sitting here of the hall of justice since 1971. talk about what happens to the work of art out of the elements. >> the arts commission

commissioned the piece. they did not set aside money for repair. it has slowly changed color. it was black. it has been restored. >> it has been restored to the original patina. >> there was no damage done to its. i do not think there were any holes made in it. they have been working on it for six or eight weeks. it is practically ready to go. i am very excited to see it done. >> over the course of the arts in richmond program, we have added almost 800 works of art into the public space.

maintaining that is not something that the bond funds allow us to do. this is why you came up with the idea of art care. >> i hope we get the community going and get people who really like to be involved. we will give them a chance to be involved. if you are interested in art, this is a marvelous way to get involved. there is work all over the city where every year ago. -- there is artwork all over the city wherever you go. my idea was to get people in the neighborhood to take care of the pieces and let the art commission have the money for the bigger pieces. >> i was talking to the former president of the arts commission yesterday. the 2% ordnance is something he helped to champion. >> it is all over california and

other states now. we really were the forerunners. it is a wonderful thing to bring the community into this now. people have seen art being put into the community. this has not been touched by any graffiti. it just faded over time. it is so open here. there is nobody watching this. i think that is a plus to the community. i hope the graffiti people do not go out there now that i am opening of my mouth. >> i want to thank you for the 50 years you have already given to the city as an arts leader. >> i started in to briberon,