Camden: Where Water is in the Art

By Erica J. Rossetti, PDE's Urban Waters Coordinator

Sidewalk art from Camden, New Jersey. Photo by Quinton Law, Camden Community Partnership.

Camden, New Jersey, is one of the many cities along the main stem of the Delaware River that faces urban challenges. In addition to a lack of green space and permeable surfaces due to development, there are generations of industrial pollution and increased flooding from climate change. To help address these challenges, the community is using the powerful medium of art to connect with residents and overcome environmental burdens together.

Camden Collaborative Initiative’s “Adopt-A-Drain” program allows volunteers to clear local storm drains of litter and debris. Alongside this program is Camden’s “Art for Change,” a public art project that brings attention to issues such as flooding and climate change through sidewalk art around adopted storm drains. A collective of local young artists called the “We Live Here Artists” create the sidewalk murals. Their work focuses on environmental justice, civic engagement, and open space. The collective also created a free Camden Storm Drains coloring book for residents to take home at a pop-up event held on Oct. 7 in north Camden.

As an Urban Waters Federal Partnership location, PDE supports the Camden Collaborative Initiative and the “We Live Here Artists” via the Urban Waters Community Fund. With stipends and supplies, the artists and other residents will create murals surrounding rain gardens throughout Camden. By supporting Camden community members and art, PDE also supports essential educational and environmental justice work that will raise awareness about climate change and flooding reduction to empower residents to invest in our local waterways.