Geneva residents can bring their artistic creativity into the community this spring by participating in the “Art on Fire” hydrant design program.

The City, in collaboration with the Cultural Arts Commission, is seeking artists to adopt and paint fire hydrants throughout the community. More than 80 hydrants have been painted the past five years as part of “Art on Fire,” and the program has been well-received by residents and visitors who have taken notice of the artwork in the downtown and surrounding areas.

With more than 1,800 fire hydrants throughout Geneva, plenty of “blank canvas” remains for artists to submit new entries this spring. “Art on Fire” was established by Mayor Kevin Burns in 2013 as a way to showcase Geneva’s artistic talent and bring art into the community.

“The creativity and artistic flair adorning the fire hydrants throughout Geneva is one more example of why our community is unique,” Mayor Burns said. “I applaud all artists, both young and old, for adding whimsy to our little corner of the world.”

The program is free and open to the public, but participants need to submit an application to the City by Friday, May 11. The application can be found on the City’s website or picked up at Geneva City Hall, 22 S. First St.  

“Art on Fire” does not mandate a specific theme, but the program encourages artists to incorporate the character of the hydrant’s surrounding environment into their design. City staff reviews and approves all application designs to make sure they do not compromise the visibility of the hydrants for firefighters in an emergency. Artists will be allowed to paint their hydrants during May and June.

The City’s Public Arts Advisory Committee and Cultural Arts Commission will again judge the hydrants and award prizes to the top three design winners this summer.

People can take a virtual tour of all the decorated hydrants on an interactive map posted on the City’s website. The map will be updated this summer to include all the 2018 submissions.