Asphalt Art Initiative

Art has the power to transform cities and make their public spaces safer and more vibrant. The Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Asphalt Art Initiative provides guidance and funding to cities around the world for visual art interventions on roadways, pedestrian spaces, and public infrastructure. The program assists cities looking to use art and design to improve street safety, revitalize public spaces, and engage their communities. Previous grant rounds supported 90 projects in the North America and Europe. (The latest grant opportunity closed January 31, 2025 for cities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.)

*** Fogo Azul *** performs around 11:30AM for the ribbon-cutting ceremony unveiling Astoria’s new Asphalt Art project!

The Asphalt Art Initiative responds to the growing number of cities around the world embracing art as an effective and relatively low-cost strategy to improve and enrich their streets. The initiative focuses on “asphalt art,” including visual interventions on roadways (intersections and crosswalks), pedestrian spaces (plazas and sidewalks), and vertical infrastructure (utility boxes, traffic barriers, and underpasses).

See Before and After transformations here.

The Bloomberg Associates Asphalt Art Guide features successful plaza and roadway art activations around the world, as well as key steps and tips for developing such projects.

Steinway Street Art Walk, 12pm - 6pm

Participating stores on Steinway Street will be hosting local artists’ artwork in their front windows between 28th Avenue and 34th Avenue. To view the art, just walk (or roll - this event is accessible!) along the sidewalk on either side of Steinway to see our artists and visit the participating shops. Check back closer to the date to see a full list of artists, host shops, and participating stores.

There will be a designated kids activity area as well (location TBD), so families are encouraged to attend and immerse their children of all ages in art and community.