FORT WAYNE, Ind. (ADAMS) – An effort got underway this past weekend to make storm drains across Fort Wayne burst with color. Through the end of the week (August 24), local and regional muralists transform them into works of art carrying a powerful environmental message: Only Rain in the Drain.
Since its launch in 2021, more than 130 storm drain murals have shared the vital message that our storm drains are the gateways to our rivers and caring for them protects our rivers.
City Utilities released the following:
Now in its fifth year, Clean Drains Fort Wayne: Be River SmART— sponsored by Art This Way, a program of Downtown Fort Wayne, and City Utilities — combines art, education and environmental stewardship into a citywide visual gallery. The project raises awareness that everything entering a storm drain flows directly into our creeks, streams and rivers.
Watch the Artists in Action
This year’s mural installations will overlap with Open Streets and Taste of the Arts, giving residents and visitors the chance to enjoy the festivities and see the artists as they create.
Amanda Foley – SW intersection of Berry & Barr Street
Cristina Aguilar – Clinton Street side at Freimann Square
Megan Weigand – Northwest corner of Pearl & Harrison Street
Elliana Heintz – 800 block of Calhoun Street (during Open Streets)
Cassidy Merkle – Southeast corner of Barr & Wayne Street
Nicholas Sprunger – 1020 Calhoun Street (during Open Streets)
Kelsey Herber – Foellinger Parking Lot – Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo
Lauren Woodman – 1000 block of North Wells Street
Haley Tabb – Southwest corner of Brackenridge & McClellan – Parkview Field
Sherry Brown – 2100 Block of Edgehill south of State Boulevard
Amanda Dornbush – 100 block of East Berry near Courthouse Green
Casey Stanley – Southwest corner of Main & Maiden Lane
Jeremy Stroup – Southwest corner of West Berry & Harrison Street
Suzanne Rhee – Completed wall mural at WaterWorks FunFest on the grounds of City Utilities’ Water Pollution Control Plant
Celebrate our Rivers with Art, Protect them with Action
Fort Wayne has over 23,000 storm drains, and each one leads straight to our waterways. Trash, chemicals and pet waste that enter a drain end up polluting the rivers that define our city. Clean Drains Fort Wayne was created to change that dynamic — and it’s working. Volunteers have been cleaning drains all year, with hundreds of individuals, families and neighborhood associations already joining the effort.
You don’t have to be an artist to make a difference. By registering at CleanDrainsintheFort.org and adopting a drain, residents will receive free cleanup kits, including gloves, trash bags, chalk (for sidewalk art), and “Only Rain in the Drain” medallions. Participation is flexible, with participants choosing when and where to help keep drains clear.
Volunteers needing more information can email cleandrains@cityoffortwayne.org
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