Partnership opens door for people of all abilities to share artwork, promote clean water

“Only rain down the drain. Don’t throw your trash where you please,” is the message of the City's newest stormwater art installation. It was created by Erik Y, a student at Goodwill of Colorado Possibilities. Erik’s art is his interpretation of peace, nature, and friendship, along with a call to action to keep our waterways clean. 

Because Erik was diagnosed with developmental and intellectual disabilities early in life, spending long hours to hand-paint the mural on the street would have been difficult. Thanks to the partnership between the City and Goodwill Industries, Erik’s artwork was enlarged and fabricated into a removable vinyl seal, a new technique that opened the storm drain art program to people of all abilities to publicly share their artwork.

The Colorado Springs Storm Drain Art Program was created as a collaborate venture with local artists and the community to help build awareness for the importance of keeping the City’s stormwater system and waterways clean.  Several murals have been created and installed by Colorado Springs artists to highlighting that pollutants that enter our waterways are left untreated and only rain should enter our stormwater system.