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Wayfinding Artist-in-Residence
Katie is an artist celebrated for her immersive, installations that transform public spaces into vibrant, interactive environments. Her handcrafted pieces—from towering illuminated inflatables created for Nike & Dreamville festival, to enchanting giant sculptures made from reclaimed materials—fill spaces with imagination and delight. You can learn more about on her website.
As the wayfinding artist-in-residence Katie will collaborate with the Raleigh Department of Traffic Services division of Signs and Markings. This division is responsible for creating and maintaining street signs throughout the City of Raleigh. They have a full on-site shop to create and repair traffic signs, including vinyl cutters and sign materials, at 2530 Westinghouse Blvd, Raleigh, NC 27604.
As artist-in-residence, Katie will spend a year creating artistic wayfinding that defines routes and districts around downtown. She will also host events/classes for the community. Stay tuned!

Residency Goals and Opportunities
The artwork created as part of this residency will provide placemaking and creative wayfinding for pedestrians in Raleigh in alignment with the Downtown Raleigh Economic Development Strategy plan. Artwork goals include helping visitors navigate from site to site around downtown, adding family-friendly itineraries and routes, and improving the legibility and coherence of downtown districts.

Example Image "Dandelions" by artist Carin Mincemoyer
Public Input
Public artist Katie Stewart gathered inspiration for new wayfinding in downtown Raleigh through a survey in Spring 2025. Visit the PublicInput project page to view community comments.
About the City of Raleigh Department of Transportation
The City of Raleigh's Transportation Department consolidates transportation and related infrastructure. From planning transportation projects, system operation, and infrastructure maintenance, the department works to optimize service delivery and position the City for ongoing growth. Services provided by the department include mobility strategy and infrastructure, traffic engineering, transportation maintenance, parking operations, GoRaleigh transit services, highway maintenance, and development services.
Additional Information
The application deadline has passed. For details about the call for artists, view City of Raleigh Sign Shop Artist in Residence RFQ (pdf).
For questions, contact Jenn Hales, Public Art Coordinator for Raleigh Arts, Jenn.Hales@raleighnc.gov.