In cities like London, where pedestrian zones mix with centuries of history, Chalk Riot’s approach to public art offers something quietly radical: art made for the ground we walk on. Their colourful, community-driven pavement murals are made to slow traffic, start conversations, and create safer, more humane places. It’s an idea that would fit right in with London’s growing number of walking and cycling streets.
“We’ve seen how just a few square metres of painted pavement can change how people feel and interact in public space,” says Chelsea Ritter-Soronen, CEO and Principal Artist of Chalk Riot. “It’s about reclaiming the street from cars in a joyful yet practical way.”
Their work speaks directly to challenges Londoners know well: urban density, road safety, and the need for inclusive, accessible design. Chalk Riot collaborates with city planners, NGOs and developers—just the kind of stakeholders active in London’s low-traffic neighbourhood schemes and public realm projects. They don’t just paint the road; they help reshape how it’s used.
Starting with Chalk, Curiosity, and a Parking Lot
Chalk Riot began in 2013 in St. Louis, Missouri. Chelsea and a few friends started drawing on the pavement just for fun—no plan, no funding, just chalk and curiosity. “People would walk by, smile, and ask us to come to their block party or event,” Chelsea recalls. “At one point someone said, ‘How much do you charge?’ That’s when we realised this could be something more.”
From these early days, the project grew. Chelsea moved to Napa, California, and then eventually to Washington, D.C. The business followed. Each move offered a host of valuable lessons that benefitted the small business’s steady growth.
What started as temporary art for sidewalks is now a full-time team that has produced over 300 murals across more than a dozen U.S. states and six countries, ranging in durability from totally ephemeral to permanent and industrial. Their projects range in size from a crosswalk to a 375-square-meter mural.
Lessons in Creative Risk and Public Trust
Chalk Riot’s journey wasn’t mapped out. “We didn’t have a five-year plan, or even a three-month plan,” Chelsea says. “But we said yes to things that felt right. And every new project taught us something we needed later!”
One of those key lessons was learning how to work within city systems. They now consult for departments of transportation and public art programmes—something many London boroughs are increasingly seeking as they design ‘healthy streets’ and ‘green grids’.
The team also learned to think about durability and safety in new ways. A mural isn’t just decoration. It has to work in rain, heat, and underfoot. One of their most notable pieces? A traffic-calming mural where a child had been struck and killed by a car driver, outside of an elementary school. Residents report more attentive driving behaviour and an energised conversation within the community about how else to protect their kids.
Designing With, Not Just For, the Community
Chalk Riot is best known for how they engage the people who live near the murals. Before a single sketch, they host sessions to hear from residents. “We ask what the space means to them, what colours or symbols they want to see, how they use the street,” Chelsea says. “For the biggest projects, we don’t just drop a design into a neighbourhood. We co-create it.”
This focus on collaboration is something London councils and Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) already value, and Chalk Riot’s model shows how it can be scaled—from murals in schoolyards to art in high-traffic commuter zones.
They also train local organisers, teachers, and peacebuilders in chalk art techniques, often at low or no cost. It’s part of their mission to keep the art form rooted in public access, much like early uses of chalk by suffragettes or subway artists.
A Team That Reflects the Mission
Another core part of Chalk Riot’s identity is who they hire. Their crew is intentionally composed of women and nonbinary artists. “It changes the tone of how we work,” Chelsea explains. “There’s simply more listening, more attention to detail, and more collective care than what we’ve all experienced on male-led worksites.”
This isn’t just about fairness, but affects the end product. Their murals are known for their thoughtful colour choices and deeply local symbolism. People stop, take photos, ask questions. They remember the experience.
Chelsea also notes how working outdoors shapes their connection to nature and history. “Every sidewalk was once a natural space. We think about that a lot—the layers of history we’re painting on top of.”
Building Cities from the Ground Up
At the heart of Chalk Riot’s story is a belief that public space should belong to everyone. “We believe in building from the ground up—literally,” Chelsea says. “Sometimes all you need is a bit of chalk and somewhere to start. Everyone has a message they want to share with the world.”
For London, this mindset is a useful reminder. With more emphasis than ever on community wellbeing, sustainability, and place-based design, Chalk Riot’s model offers not just colour—but clarity.
They prove that creativity doesn’t need to be loud to be powerful. It just needs to be intentional, methodical and just maybe – underfoot.
