As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. Imagine what local artists could communicate about improving Roanoke’s water quality. The Roanoke Arts Commission and the City’s Stormwater Utility is partnering again to transform six storm drains in the City of Roanoke into works of art. The six inlet art locations will be along Melrose Ave NW, Colonial Ave SW, Garden City Blvd SE, Ferncliff Ave NW, Midvale Ave, and Indian Village LN SE. Creating Inlet Art will not only draw attention to storm drains "hidden" within the City sidewalks, but will also raise awareness about storm water pollution.  Few people realize that litter, trash, and other pollution sources like sediment, bacteria, oils, and yard waste left on City streets wash untreated into the nearest creek, stream, or the Roanoke River.  Raising awareness through visual expression has been successfully implemented in other communities and we believe adding to the project will be an effective next step in preventing stormwater pollution from entering Roanoke’s waterways.

2020 Inlet Art Submissions are Closed - Artists Selected, Project Delayed until Fall 2020

Click through the slides below to view the inlet locations for the 2020 project.