Art has long been used as a means to express innovative ideas and to call for action. With its “Watch The Water Line” art project, this AdaptNY resilience workshop team hopes a showcase of art murals illustrating previous storm damage and rising sea levels can galvanize residents and business owners in Southern Brooklyn behind climate resiliency. Here’s how the project came together, with a team summary below. Plus, watch the video above with a team member describing the idea. (Video by Nesh Pillay)

Team Tiger, formerly named Team Cheetah, mulling their ideas in connection to their persona “Ivan” #ONANYC #AdaptNY pic.twitter.com/0laX0f5UmK

— Elijah Stewart (@EJ_Stewart) February 22, 2014

Team Tiger puts together prototype murals for their mock resilency art program #AdaptNY #ONANYC pic.twitter.com/epvdnrTUUQ

— Elijah Stewart (@EJ_Stewart) February 22, 2014

We made something #onanyc #adaptny pic.twitter.com/I1rTYlxHdc

— Julie Westfall (@JulieWestfall) February 22, 2014

TEAM SUMMARY

“Watch The Water Line public art project would inspire residents and business owners in coastal communities impacted by storm surges to create awareness of climate change resilience solutions. A variety of public art installations illustrating the impact of past storm surges and future threat of rising sea levels would establish visibility for an often-invisible problem. It would also be the launching point for organic public education as the art projects act as conversation pieces and create thought leaders out of otherwise unknown business owners and residents.”

 GO FORWARD PLAN

— city or state must contract with nonprofit needed to administer all aspects of program

— gain public art approvals from city

— partner with EDC for a design competition

— market and outreach to business owners, media, general community

— work with MTA for public space display

— work with NYC committee on climate change to get water line data

— work with NYC Independent Budget Office to do study of impact of climate change on this area. Use in outreach and marketing materials.

YOUR THOUGHTS?

Can public art raise awareness about complex policy issues? Does this project help make real the past flood levels and future flood risk? What do you think of this project? Share your thoughts in the comments below!