2024 Art by Bus!

Application for 2024 Writer By Bus will are now open!

We are pleased to once again partner with the City of Roanoke Arts Commission, and the Greater Roanoke Transit Authority  to present a unique suite of public art projects celebrating the role of transit and artists in our community. We are seeking original family-friendly content that creatively and constructively celebrates our community and its potential. Transit riders and writers of color are encouraged to apply.

Timeline: 

February 29, 2023midnight Applications due
March 22, 2023  Selected writer and applicants notified
April 1, 2023  Project onset
June 30. 2023  Deliverables finalized and submitted by author
September 2023  Transit Month celebrations and public reading

Apply Here.

 

Putting Art on the Bus, and Bringing it to our Community

Check out the Visual Arts, Music, and Literature sections of the Art by Bus pages to learn more about each part of the program.  And be sure to follow our Writer by Bus on Facebook to participate in creative writing programs, collaborative writing projects, and more.

Why Art by Bus?

Public transportation is one of the few features of our region that touches every part of a community.  Buses travel through every neighborhood; get people from home, to work, to the doctor, to the grocery store; they serve every age, every race, ever income level.  A bus trip will take you through parts of your community you may have never seen before, and introduce you to people you never would have the opportunity to meet.

By putting art on the buses, we want to remind people that taking public transportation is making a choice about how you spend your time.  You can fight with traffic, or you can close your eyes and listen to music.  You can spend money on gas, or you can pay your fare and enjoy a book.  Public transportation is an opportunity to have experiences, not just an alternative way to commute.

Plus, it’s a way to bring art into all of our neighborhoods, for people who may not otherwise have a chance to experience all the culture the region has to offer.