Debra Scacco

Artist. Curator. Creative Strategist. Artist-in-Residence, City of Santa Monica Water and Waste (RRR) Divisions. Co-Director, Brackish Water Los Angeles (Getty PST Art / California State University Dominguez Hills)

Debra Scacco: Artist-in-Residence at City of Santa Monica

Debra Scacco is a multidisciplinary artist who was selected as the first civic-appointed artist-in-residence for the City of Santa Monica, embedded with the Water Division and Resource Recovery & Recycling (RRR) Divisions of the Public Works Department.1 4 5 Her two-year residency project, titled "Laboratory for the Future," began in 2023 and will run through 2025.1 5

Background and Experience

Scacco has a diverse background as an artist, curator, and creative strategist2
In 2012, she was the inaugural artist-in-residence at Ellis Island3
Her work connects policy to people by highlighting individual stories impacted by history, culture, and the environment6
She has completed public art projects in Santa Monica, including "Compass Rose" in 20203 7

Residency Project

As part of her residency, Scacco will:

Collaborate with the Water Division and RRR Division to explore themes of ecological sustainability, the cycle of municipal maintenance activity, and the labor of essential workers1
Host public events on topics related to water systems and waste/resource management1
Engage with the community to highlight the importance of the City's water systems and the drive to promote organics recycling1

Upcoming Events

Some upcoming events related to Scacco's residency include:

A tour of the Sustainable Water Infrastructure Project (SWIP) with Water Division Manager Sunny Wang on March 27, 20241
A talk titled "Ways of Water" on May 1, 2024, featuring Kuruvungna Springs Foundation president Bob Ramirez and Santa Monica's Water Division manager Sunny Wang, moderated by Scacco1
An exhibit showcasing clay artwork by essential workers and artist Tanya Aguiñiga on May 2, 20241
A picnic event titled "We Are Essential" on May 19, 20241