California Arts Council Director Craig Watson, takes in Sandra Key Johnson’s ‘Hey, Diddle-Diddle’ during a public art tour Friday afternoon in downtown San Luis Obispo.

Arts Obispo Program Director Jenna Hartzell led the tour.

Also on the tour was John Ashbaugh, San Luis Obispo City Council member.

Watson, who spoke Friday at a public forum at the San Luis Obispo City/County Library, said a lack of school funding for the arts is among the greatest challenges facing California today.

“So much of our wealth comes from our creative economy,” Watson said. “We leave the arts out (of schools) at our absolute peril as a state.”