UpStream Art
Calling all artists!
- Who: Artists who paint and live in Oregon.
- What: Apply for the City of Springfield’s 8th annual UpStream Art storm drain mural painting project. Four artists will be selected and compensated $1,500 for completing custom-designed murals approximately 4-ft. x 6-ft.
- Where: Download the application from our application page. Art installations will be on the ground in east Springfield, at storm drains on the intersection of 67th Street and E Street.
- When: Applications due Wednesday, August 14, 2024. Painting installation will be over a 2-day span on September 19-20, 2024.
- Why: We all care about clean water and we love the arts! UpStream Art brings together these two important parts of our community, in the hopes of “connecting the drops.” These murals increase awareness of the connection between City streets and local waterways, with the goal of inspiring community members to do their part in preventing pollution from entering neighborhood storm drains.
- How: A panel of judges will review the artist’s applications and select four designs. City staff will provide paints, brushes, and other supplies while artists spend 2-days installing their murals. UpStream Art combines creativity and action. It’s organized by Springfield’s Stormwater Team who is here to help keep local rivers and streams clean. One way we do that is by talking with people about Springfield’s stormwater. We’ve turned our passion for art into UpStream Art to inspire conversations, energize people, decorate and elevate neighborhoods, and spread the word.
Please apply for UpStream Art 2024!
Peter: no need to proof beyond this point. I’ll only be replacing the top section of the current UpStream Art page. And it will be replaced with the top section, shown here.
Thank you to our Community Event Partner for their support of this project:
About UpStream Art
UpStream Art background
Held every summer since 2016, UpStream Art is a project hosted by the City of Springfield in which artists are commissioned to paint inspirational murals around storm drains and sidewalks. These colorful creations raise awareness of the connection between City streets and local waterways while supporting artists and beautifying the City.
The project consists of a Call to Artists in spring, a panel of judges selecting the winning designs, a two-day mural painting event in summer, followed by tour opportunities. Tours include the Virtual Tour and Self-guided Tour Map published on this page.
The murals convey a simple-yet-important reminder: storm drains across the City create a direct connection from Springfield’s streets to the waterways. Some cities treat their stormwater before it reaches the rivers, but Springfield does not. That’s why it’s important that we and our neighbors make sure no contaminants, debris, or litter from around our homes and businesses wash into the drains.
Our goal for UpStream Art is to inspire community members to do their part in preventing pollutants from entering storm drains.
1) We value Springfield's waterways.
They’re a vital yet easily overlooked part of our City that we rely on for relaxation, recreation, and resources. The biggest threat to our waterways is pollution from urban runoff, which is why we discuss storm drains and behaviors that pollute stormwater.
2) We support the arts and artists.
Artists create and spread important ideas, meaning, and culture. We proudly support them and pay every artist who installs an UpStream Art mural. Their creations inspire us, entertain us, attract visitors, and beautify the City.
What is stormwater?
As our community grows, the ground often gets covered up with asphalt, concrete and buildings. Without realizing it, we are disrupting an important part of the water cycle.
Instead of rain naturally filtering into the ground, in urban areas it flows over roofs, driveways and streets as stormwater. Stormwater can pick up pollutants and transport them to our local waterways via the storm drain system. Pollutants include everyday items like pesticides or fertilizers in our yards, oil in our cars, and even soap. When introduced into the waterway, pollutants have a harmful effect on aquatic life and the health of our rivers.
To learn more about how you can help prevent water pollution, read this Prevent Stormwater Pollution resource and check out our Clean Water at A Glance factsheets.
Tips for healthy streams
Click to view
Springfield values our waterways for their natural beauty, recreational opportunities, and world-class fishing. We get a lot of rain and one of the biggest threats to the health of rivers like the Willamette is runoff from urban areas.
As stormwater flows over surfaces like roofs, streets, and driveways, it collects common pollutants and washes them into storm drains and out to waterways, where they can harm plants, animals, and humans in the area.
Tour UpStream Art
There are two great ways to explore the current 26 murals that are UpStream Art. Take your pick!
Click to view
A great way to get out of the house, see the murals in their element while you enjoy this approximately 2-mile-long stroll along downtown Springfield. Email us a photo of your walk and we may share it on Springfield’s social media!
Click to view the virtual map
To enjoy UpStream Art online, scroll through our UpStream Art Virtual Map. Including photos and info about each artist, it walks you through each mural from Booth Kelly, through downtown, to Willamalane’s Adult Activity Center.
UpStream Art 2020
Click the arrows to view event highlights!
2020 UpStream Art installation
Last summer’s UpStream Art project was held September 26-27, 2020. Our five newest storm drain paintings are now located next to Willamalane’s Adult Activity Center at the cul-de-sac on C Street, near the path entering Island Park. Artists were financially compensated for their work, which represented the theme, “Keeping it Clean, From Street to Stream.”
Contact Us
- For general information, please contact the City of Springfield’s Stormwater Team at WaterResources@springfield-or.gov or 541.746.3694.
- Artists interested in applying for the next UpStream Art mural painting project can either visit this webpage or the City of Springfield’s Facebook page in mid-April 2021, or can click the button below to sign up to receive emailed updates. A panel of judges selects our winners and those artists are paid for installing their paintings.