Bloomberg Philanthropies has announced a European expansion of its Asphalt Art Initiative on the heels of a new study from the organization and Sam Schwartz Consulting that revealed some eye-opening statistics about the improvement of blacktop spaces in urban areas. A total of 20 new cities will be given grants of $25,000 each as part of the program’s next round of funding, which has to date gone to fund 45 projects in 41 different locations across the United States.

The joint study of 22 different U.S. test cases revealed that arts-driven transportation projects produce, among other outcomes, a 50% drop in the rate of crashes involving pedestrians or cyclists, a 37% drop in the rate of crashes involving serious injury, another 25% drop in road rage incidents between pedestrian and motorist, and a 27% increase in drivers yielding to pedestrians who have the right-of-way, suggesting tremendous public health and safety benefits overall.

“Over 40 cities have proved the power of the Asphalt Art Initiative, using creativity to rally residents around making their public spaces brighter and safer,” the former three-term New York City Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, said in a statement. “With this new round of grants, we’re ready to help cities across Europe foster community spirit by uniting artists and residents — and empowering them to bring new life to their streets.”

Interventions like LAA Office's 6th Street Arts Alley have become increasingly popular in recent years. During his time in office, Bloomberg was formative in introducing a number of high-profile initiatives, such as the then-new Times Square Pedestrian Plaza, which were overseen closely by his Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan, who now serves as the Principal for Transportation for Bloomberg Associates. 

The expansion will now focus on cities in the EU with populations greater than 100,000. Three other cities — Glasgow, Amsterdam, and London — have recently completed a pilot program that in part looked to assess the ability of such projects to contribute to post-Covid economic recovery, as exampled by the Bring London Together initiative made in collaboration with artist Yinka Ilori.

“By expanding the Asphalt Art Initiative further in Europe, we can help cities across the continent rapidly reimagine their public realm and prove once again that the desire for safer, more welcoming, and more beautiful streetscapes is universal,” London Mayor Sadik Khan said in support of the program.

Applications are due no later than July 11th of this year. Winning entries will be announced in the fall. Chosen cities will receive technical consulting provided by Bloomberg Associates and the City of Milan’s Agency for Mobility, Environment, and Territory (AMAT) as part of the program. More information about the grants and applying can be found at asphaltart.bloomberg.org.