Janette Sadik-Khan, former commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation, and Kate D. Levin, former commissioner of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, are advisers at Bloomberg Associates.
Art
Asphalt art can make our streets safer
Just as pedestrian fatalities in the United States have surged to 40-year highs, the Transportation Department delivered a December holiday gift: For the first time, federal guidelines explicitly include asphalt art projects as part of the roadway design tool kit that can be used on city streets. At last, cities have been given permission from the federal government to unlock their creative potential and roll out streets that engage the eye — and work better.
Asphalt art projects — collaborations between cities, community groups and artists — have taken off in the past decade, thanks to early-adopting cities such as New York, Seattle and Portland, Ore., with help from the National Association of City Transportation Officials and “tactical urbanism” firms such as Street Plans. They provide street designs that cue drivers to slow down, provide people on foot more interesting places to walk and create new local landmarks. They can even be used to widen sidewalks without digging up streets, giving space back to the public and making the whole street safer. To provide a road map for the increasing municipal interest, in 2019 Bloomberg Philanthropies produced the Asphalt Art Guide and launched the Asphalt Art Initiative (AAI), distributing grants to 90 projects in cities across the United States and around the world to produce and assess their own eye-catching street design projects.
Despite the overwhelming demand for projects such as these, until now they have colored just outside the lines of official street design guidance in this country. Previous versions of the DOT’s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (with the ungainly acronym MUTCD) said next to nothing on the subject. The first attempt to fill the void was an infamously confusing 2013 interpretation memo on “Application of Colored Pavement” that became a roadway Rorschach test — both proponents and opponents of such projects found clauses that supported their points of view. Even worse, a now-removed part of the FAQ section explicitly prohibited such projects, asserting they had the “potential to compromise motorist safety by interfering with, detracting from, or obscuring official traffic control devices.”
Meanwhile, the growing number of local engineering officials who saw benefits in this kind of street art continued to look beyond the letter of the MUTCD and approve asphalt art projects, especially when they included long-proven traffic safety elements such as painted curb extensions and lane narrowings. Building on that, Bloomberg Philanthropies partnered with Sam Schwartz Consulting and Street Plans to produce a study of 17 past arts-driven projects as well as five AAI grantee projects. That found a 50 percent reduction in crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists and a 27 percent increase in drivers yielding to pedestrians with the right of way.
And that brings us to the latest MUTCD. The manual breaks some important new ground: It finally acknowledges that many such projects exist — a milestone in itself — and, far from prohibiting or discouraging them, it provides guidance on how and where to apply them.
Of course, the new guidelines aren’t perfect: They could have gone further on designing streets to reduce speeding or encouraging bike and pedestrian infrastructure. But when it comes to creative projects such as asphalt art, regulators have filled in the once-blank canvas and the naysaying opposition can finally be brushed aside. We now look forward to seeing a growing number of asphalt artists paint the town in cities coast-to-coast as we work together to tackle the country’s traffic crash crisis.
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Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone BBC.com
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The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House has reopened its doors to the public after a fire swept through the historic building in central London. While the gallery has resumed operations, the rest of the iconic site remains closed “until further notice.”
On Saturday, approximately 125 firefighters were called to the scene to battle the blaze, which sent smoke billowing across the city. Fortunately, the fire occurred in a part of the building not housing valuable artworks, and no injuries were reported. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire.
Despite the disruption, art lovers queued outside the gallery before it reopened at 10:00 BST on Sunday. One visitor expressed his relief, saying, “I was sad to see the fire, but I’m relieved the art is safe.”
The Clark family, visiting London from Washington state, USA, had a unique perspective on the incident. While sightseeing on the London Eye, they watched as firefighters tackled the flames. Paul Clark, accompanied by his wife Jiorgia and their four children, shared their concern for the safety of the artwork inside Somerset House. “It was sad to see,” Mr. Clark told the BBC. As a fan of Vincent Van Gogh, he was particularly relieved to learn that the painter’s famous Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear had not been affected by the fire.
Blaze in the West Wing
The fire broke out around midday on Saturday in the west wing of Somerset House, a section of the building primarily used for offices and storage. Jonathan Reekie, director of Somerset House Trust, assured the public that “no valuable artefacts or artworks” were located in that part of the building. By Sunday, fire engines were still stationed outside as investigations into the fire’s origin continued.
About Somerset House
Located on the Strand in central London, Somerset House is a prominent arts venue with a rich history dating back to the Georgian era. Built on the site of a former Tudor palace, the complex is known for its iconic courtyard and is home to the Courtauld Gallery. The gallery houses a prestigious collection from the Samuel Courtauld Trust, showcasing masterpieces from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Among the notable works are pieces by impressionist legends such as Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne, and Vincent Van Gogh.
Somerset House regularly hosts cultural exhibitions and public events, including its popular winter ice skating sessions in the courtyard. However, for now, the venue remains partially closed as authorities ensure the safety of the site following the fire.
Art lovers and the Somerset House community can take solace in knowing that the invaluable collection remains unharmed, and the Courtauld Gallery continues to welcome visitors, offering a reprieve amid the disruption.
Sudbury’s annual art and music festival is marking a significant milestone this year, celebrating its long-standing impact on the local cultural scene. The festival, which has grown from a small community event to a major celebration of creativity, brings together artists, musicians, and visitors from across the region for a weekend of vibrant performances and exhibitions.
The event features a diverse range of activities, from live music performances to art installations, workshops, and interactive exhibits that highlight both emerging and established talent. This year’s milestone celebration will also honor the festival’s history by showcasing some of the artists and performers who have contributed to its success over the years.
Organizers are excited to see how the festival has evolved, becoming a cornerstone of Sudbury’s cultural landscape. “This festival is a celebration of creativity, community, and the incredible talent we have here in Sudbury,” said one of the event’s coordinators. “It’s amazing to see how it has grown and the impact it continues to have on the arts community.”
With this year’s milestone celebration, the festival promises to be bigger and better than ever, with a full lineup of exciting events, workshops, and performances that will inspire and engage attendees of all ages.
The festival’s milestone is not just a reflection of its past success but a celebration of the continued vibrancy of Sudbury’s arts scene.
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