What is the Community-Led Placemaking Program?

The Community-Led Placemaking Program empowers Baltimore City residents and organizations to enhance public spaces through creative projects in the Right-of-Way (ROW)—including streets, sidewalks, alleys, and medians maintained by us at the Baltimore City Department of Transportation.

What kinds of projects can be implemented?

Eligible projects include:

• Artistic street or sidewalk paintings
• Landscape plantings and greening
• Planters and barriers for traffic calming
• Community gateway or educational signage
• Parklets and temporary public gathering spaces
• Special projects such as art installations or creative lighting

These projects are funded by the applicant and must follow our approval process and design standards.

How can I check if my location is eligible?

Before you apply, check for conflicts by using these tools:

• DOT Resurfacing Map(External link) – see if your location is scheduled for resurfacing.

• Miss Utility(External link) – check for planned underground utility work.

• Still not sure? Email us(External link) to verify your site is eligible.

How do I apply?

Submit your project through the Community-Led Placemaking Program Application(External link). You’ll be asked to describe your idea, upload images or sketches, and include any necessary engineering plans.

Where can I get help designing my project?

If your neighborhood needs design help, the Neighborhood Design Center(External link) may be able to assist with pro-bono services.
We also recommend reviewing the Made You Look Toolkit(External link) from the MICA Center for Social Design, now with the Neighborhood Design Center. While it focuses on street painting, it includes useful guidance for any project type.

What are some examples of past projects?

The Allover Eyes traffic calming mural helps East Baltimore’s Oliver neighborhood achieve its long standing goals of beautification and improving pedestrian safety at the historically dangerous intersection of Biddle and Bond Streets. Allover Eyes was created with the Oliver Action Team with support from ReBUILD Metro, the Oliver Community Association, and Baltimore City DOT. Graham Projects completed this project in April 2023.

A bold transformation at the intersection of Baltimore St & Lakewood Ave—this permanent public art and streetscape project by Graham Projects, in collaboration with the Patterson Park Neighborhood Association, combines traffic calming with creative placemaking to turn a standard crossing into a vibrant, community-centered space. This project was completed in June 2024.

Initiated by the Highlandtown Community Association, the Park Shine traffic calming installation and pavement mural beautifies and improves pedestrian safety at the intersection of Eastern Avenue and Ellwood Street, a major entrance to Patterson Park. The Park Shine traffic calming art project was commissioned by the Highlandtown Community Association with support from a Public Art Across Maryland grant from the Maryland State Arts Council and a Community Safety Works grant from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. The design was completed in September 2023, by Graham Projects.