Bloomberg Philanthropies Launches Asphalt Art Initiative, Providing Cities How-To Guidance to Transform Streets and Public Spaces with Artwork
Washington, DC – Bloomberg Philanthropies today announced the launch of the Asphalt Art Initiative which will assist cities looking to use art and design to improve street safety, revitalize public spaces, and engage their communities. The Initiative includes the publication of the Asphalt Art Guide, with case studies and best practices from cities around the world, as well as the awarding of grants up to $25,000 to 10 small and mid-sized U.S. cities to implement their own transformative projects. This new program, announced at the annual Bloomberg Philanthropies-Aspen Institute CityLab conference in Washington, DC, is inspired by work done in New York City during Michael R. Bloomberg’s tenure as Mayor from 2002-2013 and the work of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ pro bono consulting arm Bloomberg Associates.
“Public art has the power to reshape the way we experience our cities. We saw that time and again during my time as Mayor of New York City: art could remake streets and improve public safety, inspire people, draw in visitors, and enhance residents’ quality of life,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies. “When we combined our public art projects with our efforts to strengthen city infrastructure, through new public plazas or bike lanes, we created even safer, more vibrant streets for everyone. Now, we’re working to share our experience and enliven streets and plazas around the world.”
The Bloomberg Associates Asphalt Art Guide features case studies and photos of projects from cities around the world, providing inspiration for other cities looking to incorporate artwork into pedestrian plazas, intersection designs, and murals on roadways or other urban infrastructure. Projects are highlighted from cities including Asheville (NC), Oakland (CA), Pittsburgh (PA), Athens, Greece, Bogotá, Colombia, and Milan, Italy. Intended for city officials, community groups, artists, and citizens, the book includes detailed guidance and best practices for implementing similar projects, with cost- and time-saving advice on every step from site selection to implementation and maintenance. The Guide is free for download at AsphaltArt.bloomberg.org. It was produced by the Bloomberg Associates Transportation and Cultural Assets Management teams in collaboration with urban planning and architecture firm Street Plans Collaborative and public art consultant Renee Piechocki...