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For the first few weeks in July, artist Ryan Jaenke’s canvas includes a large stretch of Downtown Cleveland.  He’s working on a massive mural which is going to end up being roughly 10,000 feet in size. Besides beautifying downtown, the mural will make it safer as well.

State Street shoppers may have noticed a live art project at a busy downtown Santa Barbara intersection this week. Painting for a grant-funded project began on Monday at State and Carrillo streets, adding a vibrant display of blue, yellow and pink inspired by Mixtec and Zapotec weaving patterns.

The Hermosillo City Council, in coordination with Bloomberg Philanthropies, began work this Sunday on the intersection of Luis Donaldo Colosio Boulevard and Galeana Street. The artwork, created by artist Enrique Chiu and 50 volunteers, is the first of eight planned street art projects in the Historic Center as part of the “Centennial Cultural Corridor” initiative.

The “Steps for Peace” project has transformed one of the busiest areas in the city center into a space designed for people. It’s not just an urban intervention; it’s a shift in perspective: streets that once prioritized cars are now beginning to take care of pedestrians.

A once-frustrating intersection in Niagara Falls is getting a creative transformation. The initiative is part of a nationwide effort to use color and design to make streets safer.

They’re almost ready to be traversed, touched and skipped on: four blocks of street paintings from Carlton to Garry Street on Graham, including two playable murals.

“Often people think of art as a beautification tool that doesn’t do anything beyond that,” said David Andersson of the Asphalt Art Initiative. “But, in practice, art can provide quantifiable impacts on safety and community cohesion.”

The first art school street was inaugurated on Via Monte Ruggero, in the 3rd Municipio. “Now schools and libraries have safer entrances.”

Art and safety go hand in hand with Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Asphalt Art initiative – and it’s so simple, that you’ll wonder why more people aren’t doing it. In celebration of National Philanthropy Day, we sat down with Bloomberg Philanthropies to hear more.