Pedestrians & Sidewalks

Urban Art

Art is integral to DOT's goal of world class streets. Artists help to transform the landscape from ordinary to extraordinary with temporary, unexpected interventions - colorful murals, dynamic light projections, thought-provoking sculptures.

Public plazas, fences, barriers, footbridges, and sidewalks serve as canvases for temporary art in all five boroughs. DOT's Urban Art initiatives rely on partnerships with community organizations and the creativity of artists to present site-responsive artwork. DOT Urban Art has presented over 100 inspiring projects since October 2008. Download a list of current Urban Art projects (pdf) Download a list of permanent Urban Art projects (pdf)

Organizations or organization-artist teams are invited to apply to one of the three Urban Art Program tracks: pARTners Barrier Beautification Arterventions

Asphalt Art Activation Open Call

Interested in painting murals on asphalt? DOT is seeking proposals from artists and graphic designers to create a mural to celebrate the launch of bike share. Most bike share stations are being installed on underutilized asphalt street spaces near traffic triangles, or on wide sidewalks. The bike share stations and adjacent street provide opportunities for artists to beautify underused asphalt spaces. Each selected artist will be awarded an honorarium of $2,000, and DOT will cover all materials costs. The deadline for applying is Friday, May 31, 2013. Download the application (pdf)

2013 Summer Streets Interventions

Congratulations to Chat Travieso, Risa Puno and Bundith Phunsombatlert on their winning proposals for interventions at this year's Summer Streets! Make sure to join us this summer and keep an eye out for the projects.

Barrier Beautification Announcement

Congratulations to Oyvind Renberg and Miho Shimizu and Xs (Sarah Strauss and Karin Tehve) for their winning barrier designs. On Saturday, April 20th, the artists will beautify concrete barriers with support from NY Cares volunteers in Manhattan on the FDR Drive Service Road East between 25th & 27th Streets and 35th & 37th Streets. Please visit NY Cares to sign up to volunteer

pARTners Announcement

Congratulations to the organization-artist teams that have been selected by the Urban Art Advisory Committee to implement their artwork throughout the spring and fall of 2013. Read below to see if an installation will be coming soon to your neighborhood!

Brooklyn

• Artist Lev Zeitlin will work with the Flatbush Development Corporation on a mural for the Dorchester Avenue Bridge between East 16th Street and Marlborough Road
• Groundswell Community Mural Project, will create a mural for the Navy Street Bridge between Myrtle Avenue and Tillary Street

Manhattan

• Artist Petro Chrisostomou will work with the International Studio & Curatorial Program to create a sculpture for the sidewalk at West 155th Street and Riverside Drive
• Artist Jennifer Cecere will work with the Downtown Alliance on a bench for the plaza at Whitehall Street & Water Street.

Bronx

• Artist Sharon de la Cruz will work with THE POINT Community Development Corporation on a mural for the Hunts Point Avenue Bridge between Bruckner Boulevard and Garrison Avenue

Recent Installations

The Urban Art Program is excited to announce that Cara Lynch and Deanna Lee were selected to implement their designs on Saturday, October 13th. With the help of eighty NY Cares volunteers, Lynch painted her design, The Heart's Best Feelings Gather Home onto a 1,200 foot long barrier site located along Flushing Avenue between Williamsburg Street West & Washington Avenue in Brooklyn. Deanna Lee installed her design, Perpetual Nature onto a 700 foot long barrier site along the Flushing Bay Promenade between Harper Street & the Northern Boulevard Bridge in Queens.

Urban Art Program Tracks

pARTners

DOT commissions artists to produce site-responsive art in collaboration with community-based organizations. Twice a year, DOT announces a list of Priority Sites owned and maintained by the agency for artists to respond to with proposals. In addition to Priority Sites, applicants are invited to propose alternate sites not included on this list. A list of current Priority Sites and Site Selection Tips are included in the application packet available for download below. If proposing an alternate site, applicants are required to submit ideas for review and approval by DOT prior to completing an application.

Interested organizations and artists are required to submit a joint application. The DOT Urban Art Advisory Committee reviews proposals each fall and spring. DOT works closely with selected partner organizations to produce and install artwork within 6 months of notification. Partners are responsible for artwork maintenance and site remediation. Artwork may be installed for up to 11 months. Not-for-profit organizations are eligible to receive up to $5,000 toward direct project costs.
Current Deadline: TBD Download pARTners Application packet (zip) pARTners projects on Flickr

Container Series by Victoria Munro. Presented with Council on the Arts & Humanities for Staten Island. Grand Staircase, St. George Ferry Terminal, Staten Island. Summer 2011-Summer 2012.

Barrier Beautification

DOT, in collaboration with New York Cares, commissions artists and designers to produce murals for concrete barriers that typically separate bicycle lanes from lanes of vehicular traffic. Hundreds of New York Cares volunteers assist the selected artists with painting their designs onto assigned barrier sites.

Each spring DOT announces an open call for Barrier Beautification proposals. Individual artists are invited to apply. DOT selects project sites and, together with New York Cares, provides all project materials. DOT oversees design and project implementation. Artists are responsible for translating their designs onto the barrier sites. All artists and volunteers are required to sign a waiver prior to participating. Murals remain installed for 11 months. Artists are eligible to receive up to $2,500 toward direct project costs.
Current Deadline: Friday, February 8, 2013 Download the Beautification Request for Proposals (pdf) Barrier Beautification projects on Flickr

Planes A-Way by Almond Zigmund. Presented with NY Cares. Barriers, Williamsburg Street West between Kent and Flushing Avenues, Brooklyn. Fall 2011-Fall 2012.

Arterventions

DOT collaborates with organization-artist teams to present short-term projects, such as digital projections on bridge archways and anchorages, sculptural relocation in public plazas, and performances at ferry terminals lasting for only a single day or up to 6 months.

Applicants are invited to select a DOT-owned and -maintained site within the five boroughs. Site Selection Tips are included in the application packet. Applicants are asked to submit alternate sites for review and approval by DOT prior to completing an application. DOT oversees projects' logistics and installation. Organization-artist teams are responsible for programming, site maintenance, and site remediation. Projects that remain installed for at least 3 months are eligible to receive up to $1,000 toward costs to cover installation and removal of the artwork.
Applications accepted on a rolling basis. Download Arterventions application packet (zip) Arterventions projects on Flickr

The Andy Monument by Rob Pruitt. Presented with Public Art Fund. Public Plaza, 17th Street and Broadway, Manhattan. Fall 2011-Spring 2012.

Urban Art Advisory Committee for 2012-2013

Rocio Aranda-Alvarado, Curator, Museo del Barrio
Charlotte Cohen, Fine Arts Officer, U.S. General Services Administration
Tamara Greenfield, Executive Director, Fourth Arts Block
Heng-Gil Han, Curator Visual Arts, Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning
Sara Reisman, Director, Percent for Art Program, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs