The Storm Drain Art Project is a collaborative stencil design initiative aimed at fostering community engagement and raising public awareness about the dangers of trash pollution in our environment. This project represents a partnership between the City of Miami's Art in Public Places Planning Department, the City of Miami Office of Resilience and Sustainability, Ocean Conservancy, Shores Forward, and Florida International University. Specifically, it involves students from the BFA Digital Arts in Graphic Design course (GRA 4818). The selected stencil design will be painted directly at storm drains throughout the City of Miami, serving as striking visual reminders of the critical role these drains play in protecting our waterways from pollution.
By encouraging people to avoid waste and refrain from dumping harmful substances into storm drains, the project directly addresses environmental degradation and the broader climate crisis. It emphasizes conscious consumption and personal responsibility, reinforcing how small daily actions can contribute to protecting the environment and promoting public health. Clean stormwater systems are essential to preventing pollution that can lead to disease and reduced physical health and life expectancy, especially in underserved communities.
At its core, the project is about education and learning—empowering students with knowledge and giving them an active role in environmental stewardship. Through hands-on creative work, students not only increase their environmental literacy but also build a sense of agency, community, and purpose. In combining education, community engagement, and environmental messaging, the Storm Drain Art Project encourages people to avoid waste, adopt more conscious consumption habits, and work together to create a more inclusive, sustainable, and healthy urban future for all.
Participating FIU students: Samuel Alao, Anthony Andrade, Cydni Ayon, Daphne Betancourt, Rania Brown, Gabriella Carrero, Julia Cartaya, Sergeline Chamorro, Thomas Chamorro, Natalia Cornejo, Genesis De Los Santos, Eric Erazo, Jude-Gabriel Eveillard, Joeanthony Felix, Micaela Mezzich Flores, Carlos Garcia, Lisbeth Genao, Amanda Gonzalez, Anaelis Gonzalez, Noah Gonzalez, Alyssa Greaves, Elizabeth Hernandez, Chloe Kortie, William Lanway, Elise Lopez, Kerin Lynch, Anthony Martinez, Makayla McNeil, Hariette Milson-Gonzalez, Alexandra Pedroso, Dayana Piris, Isabella Ramirez, Doraines Riera Diaz, Carlos Riveros, Efrain Roa, Stephany Rodriguez, and
Megan Vanwambeck.
Megan Vanwambeck.
Shortlisted: Jude Gabriel Eveillard, Chloe Kortie, William Lanway, Genesis de Los Santos
