20 painted cleats installed in downtown Detroit ahead of NFL Draft, will be auctioned off

Detroit — Cleats as art? Yep — right in the Motor City.

City officials have installed 20 5-foot-tall cleats this spring, each one painted by a different artist, at locations throughout downtown ahead of this month's NFL Draft as part of an installation called "DCLEATED." An online auction to purchase each set of cleats runs through May 3.

Curated by Detroit's City Walls team, officials say they hope "DCLEATED" creates picturesque moments for visitors during the draft, April 25-27, while displaying local artists' work and raising awareness for Detroit-based causes.

“This project has been a great way to highlight the outstanding talent of our city’s artists,” Harriet Carter, Visit Detroit's vice president of customer and partner services, stated in a press release. “Visit Detroit and the Detroit Sports Commission are proud to support this initiative and help raise funds for important causes in our area.”

Local artists for the "DCLEATED" project were chosen through a competitive open call process and partnered with a local nonprofit with a mission they are passionate about, integrating their story and message into their cleat design, city officials said.

Nineteen of the 20 cleats displayed throughout downtown will be available for purchase through the online auction. The cleat designed by artist Trae Isaac benefiting The Children’s Center will be on permanent display at Children’s Hospital of Michigan.

Cleats are on display at the MotorCity Casino Hotel, David Whitney building, Fort Pontchartrain Hotel, Courtyard Marriott Detroit, Shinola Hotel, MGM Casino, Detroit City Airport, Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center, The Westin Book Cadillac Hotel, DMC Children's Hospital and the Godfrey Hotel.

Bidding starts at $2,500 per cleat, with the option to purchase a cleat outright for $10,000. Bidders also have the option to donate online, with all donations being split evenly amongst the 20 charities.