Inside the Central Office of a telecommunications company is where the magic of connectivity happens. Thousands of cords and wires deliver phone and internet service to cities, towns, neighborhoods and ultimately homes, making communication easy and instantaneous.
The outside of the Central Office is, you could say, less magical. Constructed of brick or concrete and fortified to withstand the potentially destructive power of Mother Nature, Central Offices are not on the shortlist for any architectural design awards.
So, when some city leaders asked Ziply Fiber if they could use the outer walls for art commissions, we gave them our blessing.
Located along the Columbia River just over the Oregon border, Camas, WA is known for its artistic scene. The Ziply Fiber Central Office’s red brick exterior facing 5th Avenue in the downtown core made an ideal easel for the Camas Culture Art Block.
It’s completely transforming what that block feels like,
said Downtown Camas Association Executive Director Carrie Schulstad. Along with the exhibit, the city invested in new lighting. Not only does it feel safer, but you also see the art showcased.
The artworks now installed on the side of the building are produced by local high school students and selected by a local jury. The original installation, launched in 2024, was inspired by Hayes Freedom High School student Maria Navarro Alejandres, who wanted to exhibit paintings reflecting her Mexican heritage. After struggling to find a place to feature her art, the DCA floated the idea of using the side of the Ziply Fiber Central Office.
It was a project that local Ziply Fiber Community Development Manager Kevin Guillen was excited to support. We’re thankful to collaborate with the Downtown Camas Association and students from across the school district to celebrate the diversity in the Camas community,
he said.
The installation was such a hit that it won the 2025 Washington State Excellence on Main Award for Outstanding Special Project, an award designated by the Washington State Main Street Program, which supports downtown revitalization and preservation projects.
On July 1st, 2026, a new exhibit honoring America’s 250th birthday unveiled six new panels produced by more local high school students on the theme of What’s YOUR American story?
What’s nice about these art panels is not only are they done locally by our art students, but they also have QR codes,
Schulstad said. Visitors to the exhibit can scan the codes to learn more about the artists and their art.
Public art can provide delight in unexpected places; mundane or drab infrastructure can be transformed into an experience. That’s the intention of the Everett Station District/Stations Unidos, a community-building organization based in Everett, WA, which commissioned several art projects, including a wrap of a Ziply Fiber utility box.
The utility box is a network hub about 4 feet tall, usually located by the curb, that directs fiber-optic internet lines to individual houses and buildings. These critical pieces of infrastructure are the connection points between residential homes and the Central Offices.
Everett Station District asked local artist Lina Cholewinski, of the local, women-owned Overall Creative, to work her magic. Inspired by her own pup, with a playful palette of golds, purples, greens and reds, Cholewinski captured the energy of a playful dog chasing a ball.
These utility boxes are pieces of everyday infrastructure that we often walk past without noticing, and I love turning them into little moments of surprise,
Cholewinski said in a statement to My Everett News.
While Ziply Fiber may only be supplying its surfaces, the process of creating and installing art leads to deeper partnerships between the company and the cities it services. For Everett Station District, the project sought to enhance community pride by showcasing the relationships among businesses, Snohomish County Public Utilities, community members and artists.
Ziply Fiber is proud to partner with Everett Station District on this inspiring project,
Carl Christensen, Ziply Fiber Western Washington Community Development Manager, said. It is so nice to be involved with a district that is not only saying the right things, but acting to ensure the neighborhood feels more welcoming and add to the charm. The local artist, Lina Cholewinski, has done a wonderful job with portraying the feeling of positivity.
More public art projects are in the works. Maple Falls, WA recently unveiled a mural on one side of a Central Office. Commissioned by the Mount Baker Chamber of Commerce, a vibrant scene by local artist Nicole Bishopp features mountains, trees and a waterfall, with a raven taking flight in the foreground.
The art speaks to the landscape of the Mount Baker area, a region of northern Washington known for its outdoor recreation and ski season. This was Bishopp’s first large-scale mural commission, and she admits she was a little scared.
I kind of surprised myself,
she said. I thought it was going to be hard, but it was really fun.
Though she didn’t know what to expect, Bishopp was happy with the result. Her landscape blends in with the surrounding trees, creating a portal
effect.
She even experienced a spiritual moment when, the day before painting the raven, she saw one sitting on a branch above her on a local bike trail.
It all just kind of fell into place,
she said. That was the icing on the cake for me. I was waiting to paint it last because I wanted to make it magical and special.
Now that she’s painted the side of one Central Office, Bishopp imagines how many more blank spaces on Ziply Fiber buildings are out there waiting for an artist’s touch. Ensconcing internet infrastructure with imagery produced by local artists is a way to remind passers-by that technology and humanity are not opposing forces, but rather that they can work together and even reinforce one another.
The digital age is changing,
Bishopp says. Maybe we need a little art to convince the masses.
