Big Art Loop
Pier 1, The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94111
Downtown San Francisco Community Benefit District
Saturday, January 16 - Sunday, January 24
Self-Guided Tours all day
Thursday, January 21 | 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM, 4:00 PM
Guided Art Walks
For SF Art Week, Big Art Loop will present a special edition of Waterfront Walkabout, the free Thursday evening art stroll launched in fall 2026 in partnership with the Port of San Francisco, Building 180, Downtown SF Partnership, Street Plans, and the Ferry Building. Building on the series' mission to bring monumental public art to life and encourage exploration of the waterfront, this special edition will expand the experience along the Embarcadero, from Pier 9 to Brannan Street Wharf. Visitors will be invited to meet the artists behind the sculptures, enjoy intimate artist talks, and discover the stories, creative processes, and partnerships behind Big Art Loop's growing collection of public artworks. Three guided art walks will offer deeper insight into the sculptures, while visitors can also explore the trail independently.
The SF Art Week edition will celebrate the waterfront as a vibrant cultural destination, connecting public art with nearby galleries, museums, local businesses, and community spaces. Big Art Loop envisions collaborating with participating SF Art Week partners to share neighborhood art guides, highlight nearby exhibitions, and encourage visitors to explore beyond traditional gallery walls. Together, these experiences will create a Thursday-night cultural corridor where the city itself becomes the gallery, inviting residents and visitors to discover art, connect with artists, and experience San Francisco in a new way.
Waterfront Walkabout: SF Art Week Edition | January 21, 2027
Big Art Loop will present a special SF Art Week edition of its Thursday evening art walk, transforming San Francisco’s waterfront into an open-air gallery after dark.
Building on the Waterfront Walkabout series launched in fall 2026, the free public event will invite visitors to follow a walkable route of monumental sculptures along the Embarcadero, with artworks activated through artist talks, live performances, music, participatory art experiences, and guided tours.
The evening will connect SF Art Week audiences with large-scale public art outside traditional gallery walls while encouraging exploration of the waterfront, nearby cultural institutions, and local businesses. Visitors can choose their own route or join guided walks that share the stories of the artists, artworks, and partnerships behind Big Art Loop.
For SF Art Week, we envision extending the experience through collaborations with nearby galleries, museums, arts organizations, and participating Art Week partners—creating a Thursday-night cultural corridor where the city itself becomes the gallery.
Images:
Coralee by Dana Albany_Photo Credit Masaki Omori
Echoes by Mathias Gmachl Photo Credit Masaki Omori
Got Framed by NiNo Alicea Photo Credit Masaki Omori
Corpus by Michael Christian_Photo Credit_Ken Chan