City of Santa Monica, CA

10/02/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/02/2025 15:34

First ever Public Works Department Artist in Residence Debra Scacco exhibits work that intersects art, science and civic engagement

October 2, 2025 2:21 PM

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Oct. 2, 2025) - The first-ever Public Works Department Artist in Residence Debra Scacco will debut "Laboratory for the Future," a new art exhibit and series of events that completes her research.

The exhibit kicks off at the Santa Monica Airport Arts Center Propeller Gallery on Saturday, Oct. 11 from noon-5 p.m. with an artist's reception from noon to 3 p.m.

Art exhibit attendees will see work inspired by water, waste and urban ecology, including sculptural interpretations of Santa Monica's water pathways, sculptures made with Santa Monica water well excavation clay and powerful portraits of often-unseen essential workers.

The exhibit is free and open to the public and runs through Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. Gallery hours are Thursday-Sunday, noon-5 p.m.

For more information and to RSVP to the artist reception, click here.

Additional Laboratory of the Future free events and activities continue from Oct. to Jan., and include:

  • Oct. 16, 2025, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Composting session, following the 9-11 a.m. "Oh My Gourd" event and garden exploration, Ishihara Park Learning Garden, 2909 Exposition Blvd.
  • Oct. 25, 2025, noon-2 p.m. Flow and Form: The Invisible Systems of Santa Monica, an artist talk and exhibit walkthrough with Debra Scacco, Propeller Gallery
  • Nov. 1, 2025, noon-1:30 p.m. Woven Waters: Protection, Resistance, Renewal, a conversation with Emma Robbins (DinĂ© Water Activist & Artist) and Debra Scacco, Propeller Gallery
  • Jan. 3, 2026, noon-2 p.m. Laboratory for the Future exhibit closing event with Debra Scacco, Propeller Gallery

Selected in 2023 as part of the Our City Yards project, Scacco focused her two years of work exploring Santa Monica's water, waste and sanitation stations, well sites and compost and waste systems, and uplifting often-hidden labor by essential workers.

Learn more about the artist here.

"Laboratory for the Future" is a project of City Yards Artist in Residence Debra Scacco and is made possible by the city of Santa Monica Recreation and Arts Department Cultural Affairs Division, Public Works Department, and Percent for Art program. More about the project here.

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Arts, Culture & Fun, Community Events, The Arts

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Public Works, Recreation and Arts

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City of Santa Monica, CA published this content on October 02, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on October 02, 2025 at 21:35 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]