The City of Watsonville has been honored with the 2025 Helen Putnam Award for Excellence from the League of California Cities for its transformative Watsonville Brillante: Economic Development through the Arts project.
This prestigious statewide award celebrates programs that exemplify innovation, collaboration, and outstanding service to residents. Watsonville earned top recognition in the Economic Development through the Arts category for using public art to drive downtown revitalization, strengthen local tourism, and celebrate the community’s cultural identity.
Launched in 2019, Watsonville Brillante turned the City’s multi-story Civic Plaza parking garage, 275 Main Street, into a vibrant cultural landmark through the creation of a 12,500-square-foot mosaic mural. The project was made possible through a powerful partnership between the City of Watsonville, Community Arts & Empowerment (CA&E), and lead artist Kathleen Crocetti.
Over the course of five years, Crocetti and her team united more than 125 artists, including 105 youth and nearly 700 community volunteers, who contributed over 29,000 hours to the creation of this monumental artwork. The mosaic celebrates Watsonville’s agricultural roots, cultural diversity, and the strength of its community spirit.
“Watsonville Brillante is a shining example of how the arts can inspire pride, build community, and fuel economic growth,” said City Manager Tamara Vides. “This recognition belongs to the hundreds of residents and youth who helped bring this incredible vision to life under Kathleen Crocetti’s creative leadership.”
The project’s impact extends beyond art and culture. According to the Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 Study, Watsonville’s arts and culture industry generated $8.9 million in economic activity in 2022, supporting 175 local jobs and attracting new visitors to the downtown area.
In addition to transforming a once-overlooked structure into a cultural landmark, the project led to the creation of the Muzzio Mosaic Arts Center, a permanent arts education and training space that ensures continued investment in Watsonville’s creative economy and future public art projects.
“Watsonville Brillante reflects the heart of our community, one that values creativity, inclusion, and collaboration,” said Mayor Maria Orozco. “We are deeply proud of this recognition and grateful to Community Arts & Empowerment, as well as to every volunteer, artist, private donor, and local business that helped make this dream a reality.”
The League of California Cities recognized Watsonville’s accomplishment during its 2025 Annual Conference and Expo in Long Beach, where Watsonville Brillante was showcased as one of California’s most outstanding city programs.