Adopt-A-Box program livens up city's electrical boxes

Large, gray electric boxes are spread throughout Bloomington. They can be an eyesore and a target for flyers, stickers, decals and graffiti, especially in the downtown Bloomington Entertainment and Arts District.

So city officials looked to other communities for creative solutions to their big, ugly box problem.

“We’d seen other communities utilize the mural projects to brighten up the boxes,” said Miah Michaelson, the city’s assistant economic development director for the arts.
The city had two box painting rounds in 2008 and 2009.

Third and Walnut Streets:
Painted by Sam Bartlett in 2009, the box has a blue background with white, cartoon-like characters and a dog riding bikes. The people painted on the box, including the dog, are riding an interconnected bike that wraps around all sides.

10th and Walnut Streets:
Painted by Emma Smedberg in 2009, the box has a purple top with multi-colored patches on two sides. On the other two sides, a black background surrounds a multi-colored businessman and businesswoman holding briefcases.

Seventh Street and College Avenue:
Painted by Holly Drummond in 2008, the box is an optical illusion
doorway. A bright green tree with bushy leaves covers one side, but two other sides have a pathway leading down a tree-lined path and a doorway. A forest covers the fourth side.

How you can paint a box:
These are only three of 12 painted boxes around the downtown BEAD district. However, Michaelson said the city is looking to expand its electric box mural project throughout city limits.

“We have the opportunity out there for anyone who has a box in their neighborhood or close to where they work,” Michaelson said.

Send a design proposal and box location to michaelm@bloomington.in.gov or drop off a paper proposal at Bloomington City Hall, 401 N. Morton St. Suite 210.