FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Oliver Sampson | oliver@heller.inc | 617.899.6429
IMAGES: https://tinyurl.com/46mm85fx
CREDIT: Tameek Williams
PUBLIC HOUSING COMMUNITY FUND, NYCHA, NYC DOT, CO-HOST ‘ART IN MOTION’ BIKE TOUR
The 14-mile bike tour took riders to 12 unique public artworks from Manhattan to Brooklyn
20 riders joined the tour and engaged with public art and the rich cultural histories rooted in NYCHA communities
NEW YORK (August 10, 2026) – On Saturday, August 8, the Public Housing Community Fund (PHCF), the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT), Upway New York, and Thrive Collective co-hosted “Art in Motion – Exploring Public Art at NYCHA”, a 14-mile bike tour that took 20 riders to 12 unique public artworks on NYCHA campuses from Manhattan to Brooklyn. The event offered participants a unique opportunity to engage with public art and the rich cultural histories rooted in NYCHA communities. The bike tour is featured on Bloomberg Connects and can be viewed here.
At each site, riders learned about the behind-the-scenes process for each installation piece and the process for engaging communities in public art. Upway New York provided e-bikes for riders, and NYC DOT donated 30 free helmets.
“Art in Motion offered riders an opportunity to see New York City from a fresh perspective through dynamic artwork that sparks movement, storytelling, and discovery,” said Kemi Karim, Senior Manager of Art & Culture at the Public Housing Community Fund. “NYCHA communities are rich in creativity, culture, and energy, and the bike tour highlighted this through powerful images reflecting shared histories and passions. We’re grateful to NYC DOT and our partners for their support in making this experience possible, and look forward to continuing spreading art across public housing.”
“Art has the power to transform public spaces, tell the stories of our communities, and bring neighbors together,” said NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt. “The Art in Motion bike tour offered a unique opportunity to experience a series of incredible murals and installations across NYCHA campuses, each reflecting the unique history and character of the communities they represent. We extend our sincere appreciation to the Public Housing Community Fund, the Department of Transportation, Upway New York, and Thrive Collective for their partnership on this enriching venture and encourage all New Yorkers to come experience the amazing artwork on display every day on many of our campuses.”
“At Upway, our mission is to make safe, reliable e-bikes accessible to more people and help accelerate the shift toward sustainable transportation,” said Stéphane Ficaja, co-founder of Upway. “We’re proud to support Art in Motion because it brings together community, culture, and active mobility in a way that helps more New Yorkers experience the city beyond a car.”
“For more than ninety years, tens of millions of New Yorkers have created homes and cultural traditions at NYCHA developments throughout the boroughs,” said Jeremy Del Rio, Executive Director of Thrive Collective. “The bike tour showcases some of the enduringly beautiful, public art that NYCHA families and artists have cultivated for generations. We are honored to co-host the first ever tour of this kind.”
The bike ride kicked off with a tour of several installations by Thrive Collective: four murals at Riis Houses at 152 Avenue D in the East Village; Choose Joy & Create Memories and Live ARTfully at the NYCHA Riis Houses; and Flourish at the Bracetti Plaza Houses on 251 East 3rd Street. Riders made their way to Avenue C, where they learned about Campos Plaza and Loisaida Thrives by Thrive Collective—two murals rich with historical details, cultural references, and community context unique to the Lower East Side. The tour continued at Opening the Edge by the Design Trust for Public Space and Roots/Raices & Islanders by Thrive Collective at the NYCHA Lillian Wald Houses in the Lower East Side. The last stop was Baruch Houses and ShapeShift at the Baruch Houses near the Williamsburg Bridge.
The group then crossed the Williamsburg Bridge into Brooklyn where they stopped at the Kingsborough Houses and toured three powerful art installations on the campus; Exodus & Dance by Richard Barthé, Migration by Jerome Haferd Studio and Creative Urban Alchemy, and Still We Rise by Fulton Art Fair. Next, the tour continued to Bushwick Houses, touring Bushwick Rooted by Crystal Clarity and Creative Urban Alchemy. The final stop on the tour was to see Legacy by Thrive Collective at the Borinquen Plaza Senior Center on 80 Seigel Street.
PHCF has worked to expand public art across NYCHA campuses through a number of different resident-engagement programs. This includes “From Roots to Arts: Celebrating NYCHA’s Cultural Heritage” across five NYCHA campuses spanning all five boroughs. This innovative artist-in-residency pilot program was designed to enrich and expand culture, heritage, and art narratives within public housing by placing local artists and residents at the forefront of this endeavor. In addition, the organization recently launched the “Climate Action Grant” murals, five citywide public art pieces created in collaboration with NYCHA residents, artists, and community art partners.
###
About the Public Housing Community Fund
The Public Housing Community Fund is an independent not-for-profit organization that creates and leverages resources and relationships to enhance the opportunities and quality of life for New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) residents and their communities while uplifting the importance of public housing in New York City. www.communityfund.nyc
About the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)
The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the largest public housing authority in North America, was created in 1934 to provide decent, affordable housing for low- and moderate-income New Yorkers. NYCHA is home to 1 in 16 New Yorkers, providing affordable housing to 511,384 authorized residents through public housing and Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) programs as well as Section 8 housing. NYCHA has 177,565 apartments in 2,410 buildings across 335 conventional public housing and PACT developments. In addition, NYCHA connects residents to critical programs and services from external and internal partners, with a focus on economic opportunity, youth, seniors, and social services. With a housing stock that spans all five boroughs, NYCHA is a city within a city.
About Thrive Collective
Thrive Collective aims to create hope and opportunity through mentoring and arts programs, primarily in and around public schools. Since 2014, the organization has produced 800 murals and served 40,000 students across 250+ schools. Their work spans multiple states, including New York, New Jersey, California, and Texas, as well as Puerto Rico and Mexico.
Leave a Reply