Industry
Public Art / Civic Engagement
Deliverables
Public Art Strategy
Fundraising Communications
Partnership Development
Year
2015 – 2017
Location
San Francisco, California
Read case study below
The Bay Lights — A Cultural Landmark Reimagined
The Bay Lights turned the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge into the world’s largest light sculpture—1.8 miles of light, code, and imagination. As part of the Illuminate team, Gregory helped relaunch the world-famous LED installation and transform it from a temporary experiment into a permanent civic icon with SuperBowl 50.
Working at the intersection of public art, partnerships, and storytelling, our team set out to prove that beauty could be a public utility. His role centered on crafting the narrative that connected artists, funders, and city officials around a shared sense of making the impossible a reality.
What He Did
Shaped a unifying story of civic imagination, history, and innovation
Developed public-facing messaging and fundraising communications to help raise $8 million+ in private funding
Built partnerships across government, tech, and the arts—including early supporters from McKinsey, Google, and Autodesk
Translated artistic ambition into community-focused impact that spoke to both policymakers and the public
Outcome
Achieved landmark status and permanent installation of the sculpture
Created an internal playbook used for future public-art projects, including Lightrail
Helped demonstrate how investing in wonder generates real civic value—over $1 billion in regional economic impact
