Keep Oakland Beautiful

Look at this colorful mosaic trash can! It’s part of a community beautification effort, started in 2010 in the Allendale Park neighborhood of East Oakland. Though it started in one neighborhood, local volunteer professional and amateur artists have spread the project to other neighborhoods in Oakland, including Dimond District, San Pablo Ave. and High Street.

Local grants fund this art effort, along with the Keep Oakland Beautiful program: a nonprofit that aims to beautify neglected public spaces in Oakland. The program offers micro-grants of up to $1,000 for projects that benefit the community, such as murals, free Little Libraries, neighborhood cleanups and other efforts. To be eligible for a grant, you must first register with the City of Oakland's Adopt-a-Spot program and pledge to be a caretaker of a specific area, taking on the responsibility of keeping it clean and repairing any damage.

If you’re interested in seeing how artists made the mosaics for these trash cans, watch this video.