Apply for a Street or Structure Painting permit

What is a street painting?

View full size image of Image of neighborhood volunteers painting an intersection with a colorful design with trees, a maze, and a central mandala with a red heart in the center. A girl rides a tricycle in the foreground.

Street paintings are large, decorative paintings installed directly on the street. They may be as large as an intersection or an entire block and past themes have included animals, flowers, geometric designs, trees, and more. The first modern street painting here in Portland was in 1996.

In addition to the aesthetic beauty of the paintings themselves, they build community and relationships between neighbors, they create a sense of place, and apply key crime prevention principles. Any resident, business, or nonprofit may apply to install one.

Permitting Process

Before filling out an application, please visit our Learn about Street and Structure Painting Permits page.

Learn about Street and Structure Painting Permits

A street painting requires two permits; one for the painting itself and one for the street closure to safely install the painting. In order to receive your two permits, you will fill out one application with details about your painting design and street closure. You will complete either a Block Party or Community Event application.

After application submittal, you will receive two confirmation emails. Then, City staff from the street painting program will help coordinate the details around your painting design. City staff from the Block Party or Community Event program will coordinate the details of your street closure.

Please apply for a Block Party permit if:

• Your street painting will require only a neighborhood scale gathering.
• Your day-of contact is a resident on the street that will be painted.
• You will require only one day to install the painting.

Apply for a Block Party permit

Please apply for a Community Event permit if:

• You expect attendance to reach over 100 people at one time during your event.
• You are a business or nonprofit.
• Your street painting is a part of a larger event, like a street fair or market.
• Installation requires a longer closure.

Apply for a Community Event permit

A vast majority of street paintings need a Block Party permit. If you don't know which permit to apply for, please reach out to streetpaintings@portlandoregon.gov and we'll be happy to help.

Contact us

Questions before applying or about your permit?

Contact us at streetpaintings@portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-8893.