The City of Spokane and Spokane Arts announce the launch of the three-year pilot Asphalt Art Program that was approved last fall by the City Council to create visual interest and slow down vehicular traffic.

Artist applications are being accepted through July 31 at: https://spokanearts.org/opportunities/asphalt-art-artist-roster-application-open/.

Each piece of asphalt art will be in a location mutually agreed upon by neighborhoods, the City and Spokane Arts. Artwork will be painted directly on the street surface in a residential intersection (no arterials.)

Neighborhood councils can apply for a location to have asphalt art painted and select an artist from the artist roster in a few weeks. Under the program, each of the 29 neighborhoods will be able to commission an intersection art piece, which can include a variety of subjects, including, but not limited to, neighborhood council logo, mascot, Spokane icon, etc. Six community crosswalks – two in each Council district – also are a part of the program.

Once artists are on the roster, if chosen by a neighborhood, each artist will work with the neighborhood to create a final design. 

“We want to make sure that neighborhoods have a good selection of artists before we open up applications for an intersection art piece or crosswalk,” said Shelby Allison, Asphalt Art Manager for Spokane Arts.

Annie Deasy, Community Programs Coordinator in the City’s Office of Neighborhood Services, added: “Asphalt art represents about 6 percent of the annual traffic calming revenue and is one of the traffic calming strategies.”

The first intersection art piece that was recently painted as part of the program that has $972,750 is near the entrance of Riverfront Park on Spokane Falls Boulevard. The goal is for the remaining art pieces to be in residential areas and preferably not on bus routes.

The program is funded with revenue generated from tickets from Photo Red and Speed Radar cameras.
The project is part of the City’s Neighborhood Traffic Calming program. For questions regarding the Asphalt Art Program, contact Deasy at 509-625-6343 or adeasy@spokanecity.org or Allison at shelby@spokanearts.org.