Description

Paint the Town! is a pilot program that uses street murals to facilitate community ownership of public space, help strengthen community spirit, and make streets safer by potentially slowing traffic. The program culminated in a series of community-driven street mural projects that are painted on the street at intersections or in the midblock of streets throughout the city of Oakland.

Through a contract with the Oakland Fund for Public Innovation, CD+A worked to bring together community leaders to evaluate project applications based on the quality of design, demonstrated community support, and equity. Projects located in underserved communities were also given priority. A total of eight projects were selected to receive full support by the CD+A team to help the project proponents, typically neighborhood groups and non-profit organizations, implement their street mural projects. Project support included volunteer recruitment, event outreach, event permitting, facilitation of design concept drawings for projects that did not have a finalized design, obtaining materials, and logistical and on-site support for painting days.

Some projects also incorporated the improvements as part of roadway safety and paving projects with OakDOT, the city’s Department of Transportation. CD+A also led the post-installation evaluation and assessment of the Paint the Town! program and developed project website materials. OakDOT is in the process of adapting the success of this pilot program into a relaunch effort.