Bloomberg Philanthropies Seeks Applicants for Asphalt Art Initiative Grant
Posted: Apr 26, 2023
The current round of the Asphalt Art Initiative grant application is open to all cities in Canada, Mexico, and United States. ANY APPLICATION MUST BE DONE IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY OF INDIANAPOLIS.
RSVP here for a virtual informational session with the Initiative’s program managers, to be held on May 11, 2023.
The Asphalt Art Initiative grant program is designed to fund visual art on roadways, pedestrian spaces, and public infrastructure in cities. Typically, the projects are painted murals, organized in collaboration between city governments and local communities, with the following primary goals:
Improving street and pedestrian safety
Revitalizing and activating underutilized public space
Promoting collaboration and civic engagement in local communities
The current round of the Asphalt Art Initiative grant application is open to all cities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The deadline to apply is June 12, 2023. The program will award up to 20 cities grants of up to $25,000 each, as well as on-call technical assistance from the tactical urbanism firm Street Plans. Winning cities are expected to be announced in fall 2023 for projects installing during calendar year 2024.
Please refer to currently funded Projects as well as the Bloomberg Associates Asphalt Art Guide to gather inspiration from successful asphalt art projects in cities around the world. The Guide includes detailed guidance and best practices for implementing similar projects, with cost- and time-saving advice on every step of the project, from site selection to implementation and maintenance.
Eligible Applicants
This grant program is open to all cities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Each city may only submit one application; multiple applications from one city will not be considered. Please contact arts@bloomberg.org with questions about eligibility and visit Submittable for technical support.
The Project Team may include various collaborative partners, such as city government agencies, nonprofit community or arts organizations, and/or individual artists or consultants. The Project Team must include a Lead City Agency, which is the primary government agency with oversight of the project (e.g., Department of Transportation, Cultural Affairs, or other appropriate agency). If the Lead City Agency is not the government agency with jurisdiction over city streets, then that agency must be a part of the Project Team.
If selected, the Lead City Agency will be required to select a fiscal sponsor to receive the funds directly. The fiscal sponsor should be a charitable organizations that is a 501(c)3 Public Charity (or an equivalent entity in Canada or Mexico).
In addition, each application must identify which entity or individual is responsible for project management (day-to-day coordination and implementation) and which is responsible for artistic direction (selection of artist/design, etc.). Bloomberg understands that each Project Team is unique, so please do your best to represent the makeup of your team.
Eligible Projects
Site
Each application must have a site identified for the proposed asphalt art project (or sites, if multiple are feasible within the budget). Eligible sites should be on or adjacent to active roadways, and may include crosswalks, intersections, vehicle/parking lanes, pedestrian plazas, sidewalks, or highway underpasses. Sites should have the potential for active pedestrian usage, so that the artwork can have maximum impact. Sites may be located in and managed by one or multiple jurisdictions (city, state or county, public utility, regional transit authority, etc.) but must be largely or completely on public property and be fully open to the public. See page 71 in the Asphalt Art Guide for considerations when selecting a site.
Duration
Proposed projects may be temporary (e.g., a single artwork application with plans to eventually remove faded paint) or they may be longer term with plans for repair/reapplication or a planned/proposed capital construction. All proposals must include an appropriate plan for maintenance of the artwork for the duration of its installation, as well as a plan for repair, removal, or replacement when the artwork begins to age.
Goals & Metrics
A critical component of the Asphalt Art Initiative is to identify priority goals for each project and to make a plan for collecting metrics to determine how successful the project is at meeting those goals. Improving road safety, especially for pedestrians and cyclists, must be a component of all proposals. Goals and metrics may differ from project to project, but proposals with clear safety-related goals will be prioritized. See List of Common Metrics for reference.
Budget
Each application must include a proposed budget outlining how the grant will be expended. Competitive proposals will include in-kind support from the municipality, particularly from the engineering or transportation department (e.g., permitting, repaving, engineering drawings, signs and markings, planters or traffic barriers, traffic control during installation, and/or maintenance). Proposals may also make use of additional funding or in-kind support from outside sources, if applicable.
Content
Funded projects cannot include obscenity, hate speech, political messages, religious content, commercial advertisements, or depict illegal activity.
Selection Criteria
Competitive proposals must clearly demonstrate:
Impact
The project addresses a relevant and meaningful challenge faced by the identified site, the surrounding neighborhood, or the city (e.g., traffic safety, underutilized public space, neighborhood blight, etc.), with a particular emphasis on road safety for pedestrians and/or cyclists.
The characteristics of the chosen site (e.g. physical layout, traffic or pedestrian volume, neighborhood context) are such that an intervention of this nature has a high likelihood of success.
The proposed intervention is consistent with the project’s stated goal(s) and has appropriate metrics to determine success.
The proposed project clearly benefits the local community and engages residents/stakeholders in its planning, development, and/or execution.
Viability
The project team and partners have the necessary authority and expertise to oversee a project of this nature.
The project has demonstrated support from city and community stakeholders, through existing partnerships or a thoughtful outreach/engagement plan.
The proposed budget, timeline, and maintenance plan are realistic and demonstrate notable in-kind city support.
Quality & Visual Interest
The process for artist selection and design development is well-defined and appropriate for the proposed project, and will be overseen by someone with appropriate expertise.
If the artist has already been selected, the chosen artist has demonstrated creative skill and the potential to develop a visually compelling design.
The surface being painted is in good repair or there is a reasonable plan to repave or otherwise treat it to be receptive to the chosen materials.
Contact
Please direct any questions to arts@bloomberg.org and visit Submittable for technical support.
Click here to learn more and apply.
