Asphalt art

Bloomberg Philanthropies has announced a European expansion of its Asphalt Art Initiative on the heels of a new study from the organization and Sam Schwartz Consulting that revealed some eye-opening statistics about the improvement of blacktop spaces in urban areas. A total of 20 new cities will...

The Asphalt Art Initiative provides guidance and funding to cities around the world for visual art interventions on roadways, pedestrian spaces, and public infrastructure. The program assists cities looking to use art and design to improve street safety, revitalize public spaces, and engage their communities.

Following DOT School Safety’s improvements to create a pedestrian-only zone outside of five public schools, P.S. 204, P.S. 338X, IS 232, ISX03 and Academy for Language and Technology on Macombs Road in the Bronx, DOT Art partnered with artist BOICUT to paint the 8,000 square foot pedestrian space with vibrant, bold colors. Titled, “The Smile,” the design added a sense of playfulness to the site and helped designate the space as a safe area for students and other pedestrians. BOICUT’s mural…

Artist and designer Kim Sillen has been chosen by the Lower East Side B.I.D. to be included in their Urban Art grant application to the D.O.T. to produce her design on the asphalt triangle at the intersection of Division, Ludlow & Canal Streets. The “Open Call for Asphalt Art” required submitted concepts to be design […]

While cities incorporate art into public spaces in a variety of ways, the focus of this initiative is what we’re calling asphalt art: visual interventions on roadways (intersections and crosswalks), pedestrian spaces (plazas and sidewalks), and vertical infrastructure (utility boxes, traffic barriers and underpasses). In October 2019, Bloomberg Associates and Street Plans released the Asphalt Art Guide. The Guide features over two dozen case studies highlighting successful plaza and roadway…

Enhancing neighborhood safety and community pride.

Bloomberg Philanthropies recently awarded 26 cities with up to $25,000 each to install art projects that improve street safety. Smart Cities Dive rounded up eye-catching asphalt art projects from last year's winners.

Officials used street murals and planters to transform a hazardous intersection in Kansas City, Missouri, tapping grant funding from Bloomberg Philanthropies' Asphalt Art Initiative.

Commemorating a neighborhood’s history on its streets | Asphalt Art

Artist Camille Walala has applied her signature graphic style to a pedestrian crossing in south London.