Sanitation Department Launches Citywide Truck Art Project

By Y.M. Lowy

The New York City Department of Sanitation, together with the Sanitation Foundation, announced a new call for artists to participate in its Trucks of Art program, which will place artwork on city sanitation collection vehicles.

The initiative invites artists to submit designs to be painted on garbage trucks, each weighing about 46,000 pounds and offering nearly 400 square feet of exterior surface. The trucks will continue operating on city routes after being painted.

Artists will be required to use unwanted household paints that would otherwise be discarded, with materials sourced from residents who drop off paint at the city’s Special Waste Drop-off locations. 

Selected artists will receive a stipend of up to $1,500, funded by the Sanitation Foundation. Artists will have up to five working days to complete their designs, which must be durable enough to withstand year-round outdoor use.

This marks the third time the Department of Sanitation has run the Trucks of Art program, following earlier editions in 2019 and 2022. The department is currently accepting submissions, with a deadline of Sunday, February 8, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. 

Program details and application materials are available through the department’s Request for Expressions of Interest.