Posted: July 1, 2025
The Street 2 Creek Stormdrain Art Project was started in 2018 in the City of York by Master Watershed Stewards of York County and partners. Since then, over twenty murals have been painted next to stormdrain inlets through this award-winning program. In 2025, the Street 2 Creek program will expand to the City of Coatesville with an initial four stormdrain adjacent murals.
Street 2 Creek mural installation in York
The Master Watershed Steward Program in Chester and Delaware County, in partnership with the City of Coatesville, 2nd Century Alliance, and Pennsylvania American Water is pleased to announce a new art program to educate the public on the importance of stormwater management for good water quality.
The Street 2 Creek Stormdrain Art Project program was started in the City of York in 2018 by Master Watershed Stewards of York County and partners. Since then, over twenty murals have been painted next to stormdrain inlets to successfully engage local artists and the community through this award-winning program. In 2025, the Street 2 Creek program will expand to the City of Coatesville with an initial four stormdrain adjacent murals.
Stormwater is one of the leading causes of pollution in the Delaware River Basin. The objectives of this project are to attract the public's attention to the connection between land based choices and healthy waters using art, educate the public on water quality and the environmental impacts of storm water run-off, and involve the general public in both the teaching (via the making of art) and the learning (via the viewing of the art) about storm water runoff and storm drain functions.
Call for Artist Submissions:
How and who can submit
- Artists, ages 14 and older, are invited to submit original sketches between July 1-August 20, either:
- In-person or by mailed option:
- 2nd Century Alliance c/o Shakira Davis
190 West Lincoln Highway
Coatesville, PA 19320 - Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM–4:00 PM
- Please include: your name and full contact information
- 2nd Century Alliance c/o Shakira Davis
- Online option: https://pennstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3eddmIHuF0ttzIG
- In-person or by mailed option:
- Up to three original drawings per artist may be submitted. Images with copyrights will not be accepted.
- A panel of judges will select up to four submissions. The judging rubric and Memorandum of Agreement can be view here.
- Artists of the selected designs will receive invitations to any related celebratory event(s), public recognition, and a cash payment ($500) after the fall installation of the mural.
- Street 2 Creek Coatesville team will prep and seal the sidewalk and provide the paint. The artist will provide any paintbrushes, pallets, and other needs.
Murals as educational messaging
- Selected drawings will have a clear environmental message related to storm drains, runoff, pollution, and/or water quality. Inspiration can be found from installed York murals.
- Murals of the selected designs will be painted on sidewalks by the artist next to identified stormdrain inlets in Coatesville. Painting will occur in the fall of 2025.
Other notes
- While some deviation from the original design is accepted due to the variation of sizes in storm drain structures, the principal theme and imagery of the accepted design may not be changed.
- Painted murals will be the property of the City of Coatesville. However, the intellectual property of the art design remains with the artist.
- The City of Coatesville, Master Watershed Steward Chester and Delaware County Program, and Pennsylvania American Water reserve the right to reproduce finished work for promotion and archival purposes in both printed and electronic form. These organizations will not sell reproductions of the work without written consent of the artist. Artist retains all other rights.
- The city or project cannot financially benefit from the art without prior consent from the artist, but may reproduce the art for educational and promotional materials.
- Art is subject to removal at any time for any purpose deemed necessary by the city.
The Street 2 Creek Coatesville expansion hopes to be as successful as the York program and have this initial year be the start of educational murals adorning stormdrains in viewable locations across Coatesville.
If you would like to learn more about the program, stream health, or how to get involved, contact Meagan Hopkins-Doerr, Coordinator for Master Watershed Steward Program in Chester and Delaware Counties, at mxh1135@psu.edu or 610-696-3500.
Street 2 Creek Coatesville Partner Information
- Penn State Extension Master Watershed Stewards
- 2nd Century Alliance
- City of Coatesville
- Pennsylvania American Water
To learn more about the Street 2 Creek program in York, visit their website.
