The BID plays several roles in this work, acting as a matchmaker between spaces and activators,
providing guidance and both direct and indirect support in the planning stages, as well as creating
and promoting our own activations.

Progress on this initiative in 2022 included:

• Hosting pop-up “NoMa Cheer Cart” activations in the heart of NoMa, providing surprise and delight to NoMa workers, residents, and visitors
• Launching the Metropolitan Beer Trail, a free digital passport and prize-incentivized marketing program, and inviting thousands of customers to visit seven NoMa and NoMa-adjacent breweries and bars adjacent to the
  Metropolitan Branch Trail
• Installing a new lobby art installation at 1200 First St. NE with Lea Craigie-Marshall
• Designing and installing new street pole banners throughout the neighborhood celebrating NoMa’s history of incredible wall art
• Hosting the 2022 D.C. Walls mural festival which brought 17 new murals to buildings and spaces across NoMa
• With the NoMa Parks Foundation, supporting the construction and opening of Swampoodle Terrace, NoMa’s newest park
• Launching mural tours to raise the profile and awareness of the neighborhood’s deep stockpile of public wall art
• Developing public space activation plans for the NoMa Breezeway and the L Street underpass
• With the NoMa Parks Foundation, designing and building a new underpass art installation in the K Street underpass that will be an ongoing projected art gallery
• Creating a comprehensive inventory identifying vacant ground-floor spaces in NoMa, the first step in an activation strategy
• Supporting and promoting community activations at Alethia Tanner Park, including DPR movie nights, children’s story times, nature walks, fitness classes, bike rides, and more
• Supporting Eckington Hall, an art gallery and flexible creative and event venue launched by a local Black entrepreneur, by providing marketing consultation, social media promotion of events and exhibits, and direct
  sponsorship support
• Launching NoMa’s first farmers’ market since the fall of 2019 at Alethia Tanner Park, with a new partner and prominently featuring BIPOC-owned vendors.
• Installing a new mural—via an inclusive call for artists and community selection process—above M Street NE from deaf artist Michelle McAuliffe, spelling out “NOMA” in American Sign Language

Targeted work on this initiative for 2023 will include:

• Developing a guide and resources for space activations that can be distributed to community groups and individuals interested in getting involved
• Implementing the Breezeway activation mentioned above
• Sourcing the artworks that will populate the K street gallery and launching the installation
• Working with property owners to permit spaces and implement guidelines for their use
• Opening the Alethia Tanner Park Café, creating a new focal point for community gathering and park activations in NoMa
• Working with ATF, Courtyard, and WMATA on streetscape improvements on 2nd Street
• Developing and installing pavement art beneath the micromobility corrals on L Street
• Hiring a new staff member to focus on public art and placemaking activations
• Developing and adding QR codes to existing wall art installations to provide information about the art and artists
• Installing new wayfinding signage for the Metropolitan Branch Trail