Bloomberg expands Asphalt Art initiative to Europe
The initiative, which will provide European cities with $25,000 for projects that use art and design to improve street safety and revitalise public spaces, spurred a reduction in traffic crashes in the US.
Bloomberg Philanthropies is expanding its Asphalt Art Initiative in Europe. The initiative will provide as many as 20 European cities with $25,000 for projects that use art and design to improve street safety, revitalise public spaces, and engage community residents.
The European expansion builds upon two rounds of previous Asphalt Art Initiative grants made in 2020-2021, supporting a total of 45 projects spanning 41 US cities and pilot projects in the three European cities of Amsterdam, Glasgow and London.
Pedestrian safety
The programme is inspired by work done to improve pedestrian safety and revitalise New York City streets during Michael Bloomberg’s tenure as mayor from 2002-2013 and the work of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ pro bono consulting arm Bloomberg Associates in cities around the world.
Bloomberg Philanthropies also announced the release of the Asphalt Art Safety Study, in collaboration with Sam Schwartz Consulting, which reviewed 22 recent asphalt art projects installed in the US and found they had spurred a reduction in traffic crashes, particularly those involving pedestrians and bikers, and encouraged safer driver behaviour.
“Over 40 cities have proved the power of the Asphalt Art Initiative, using creativity to rally residents around making their public spaces brighter and safer”
The study results included a dramatic reduction in motor vehicle crash rates after the projects were installed, including a 50 per cent drop in crashes involving pedestrians or cyclists and a 37 per cent drop in crashes with injuries.
The study also found a 25 per cent drop in the rate of conflicts between drivers and pedestrians, as well as a 27 per cent increase in drivers yielding to pedestrians with the right-of-way.
Asphalt art projects not only create vibrant new public spaces but also build city capacity for working with artists and community groups on projects involving transportation infrastructure.
The initiative responds to the growing number of cities around the world embracing art as an effective and relatively low-cost strategy to enhance their streets, with installations on plazas and sidewalks, crosswalks and intersections, and other transportation infrastructure.
Of the 42 Asphalt Art projects in US cities and three pilot projects in European cities awarded grants, 18 of the projects have been completed to date, collectively transforming a combined 103,930 square feet of streetscape with artwork while engaging nearly 6,000 residents and 189 artists in the design and installation process.
The expansion of the initiative invites all European cities with a population of 100,000 or greater to apply by 11 July 2022. Winning cities will be announced in autumn 2022 with selected projects planned for installation throughout 2023. As well as grants, the selected cities will receive technical consulting provided by Bloomberg Associates and the City of Milan’s Agency for Mobility, Environment, and Territory (AMAT).
European pilots
In Glasgow, to coincide with the Cop26 Summit last year, the city installed Water Works, which includes a large-scale ground mural and accompanying rain gardens at the entrance to a busy commuter rail station below a highway underpass.
Designed by Glasgow-based artist Gabriella Marcella and inspired by the environmental challenges the city faces with excessive rain and water runoff, the project aims to improve pedestrian and cyclist navigation.
“With this new round of grants, we’re ready to help cities across Europe foster community spirit by uniting artists and residents – and empowering them to bring new life to their streets”
In London, artist Yinka Ilori worked with art students from the University of Arts London to produce Bring London Together, which created colourful designs on 12 crosswalks and a pedestrian plaza in central London. The project was part of mayor Sadiq Khan’s Let’s Do London tourism campaign for pandemic recovery.
In Amsterdam, a monumental artwork comprised of painted asphalt, planters, and benches was completed in April 2022 by the Street Art Museum Amsterdam (Sama) and Spanish artist Kenor.
Spanning 90,000 square feet of paint, Surround Sound is the largest artwork ever created in Amsterdam by Sama, and transforms a well-used open-air marketplace, changing perceptions of the Plein 40-45 neighbourhood, and engaging local residents.
The application and city selection guidelines, case studies and best practice guide, as well as the safety study are available at AsphaltArt.bloomberg.org.
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