More storm drain art is coming to Richmond’s streets to remind everyone that they are the pollution solution. The first drain was painted as a live demonstration during the Festival of the River on June 9 at 7th and Tredegar Streets near West Rock. Four additional drains will be painted in Carytown on June 16 and 17.Through the RVAH2O Storm Drain Art Project (http://www.rvah2o.org/storm-drain-art/), an initiative of the City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities (DPU), five local Richmond artists have been selected to paint their message on storm drains to educate the public about the importance of keeping our river, waterways and streets pollution-free. These winning artists were among 29 entries in RVAH2O’s online contest. They will paint five storm drains in Tredegar and Carytown.
RVAH2O’s online contest invited local artists ages 18+ to submit design entries depicting “You Are the Pollution Solution," environmental protection of waterways, and the James River’s ecosystem, natural habitats and wildlife.
The panel of judges included members of the Richmond Public Art Commission and members of the DPU stormwater team. The five winning artists are:
- Jered Fykes
- Hope Morgan
- Elise Neuscheler
- Melissa Rosener
- Amy Smith
“The Storm Drain Art Project drew a strong caliber of local artists who have taken a clever approach to illustrating the benefits of a pollution-free James River,” said Calvin Farr, DPU director. “We are excited to be a part of the Festival of the River with the live painting demonstration and returning to where it all began. We’re equally excited to be extending storm drain art to Carytown, a very popular and walkable destination to eat, shop, and play.”Each artist will be assigned a storm drain to paint over two weekends: June 9 and June 16-17. Artists will be compensated with a $400 stipend for their work and materials, such as tools and brushes. They also will receive instruction on how to paint storm drains, which will include precautions to prevent paint from getting into the drain.
DPU will provide each artist with non-slip paint, basic brushes and water tubs. DPU also will closely monitor the drain painting and will provide standard construction inlet protection (gutter buddies) for each drain, as well as small tents that the artists can use for shade and protection during the process.
This is the third consecutive year of the RVAH2O Storm Drain Art Project, initiated in 2016 using the online contest and entry portal. In May 2016, six artists were selected to paint storm drains along Tredegar Street, adjacent to the James River. They remain today a visual reminder of the importance of the James River in our lives, as well as the lives of plants, animals and fish that rely on the river and its natural habitats for survival. In May 2017, four artists were selected to paint storm drains along Grace and Harrison Streets at VCU.About RVAH2O
RVAH2O (http://www.rvah2o.org/) is driven by the belief that every citizen of our city can make a difference and help us achieve the goal of cleaner water faster for all of Richmond. We’ve developed an innovative partnership between city government and passionate citizens, and we’re making progress every day to:
- Reduce pollution
- Decrease flooding
- Keep our waters fishable and swimmable
