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July 30, 2015

Metro Arts In Transit Program Awarded $56,000 From Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis

The Metro Arts In Transit Program has received two Program Support grants from the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis (RAC) that will be used to maintain and grow Metro transit public art programs. RAC awarded Metro Arts In Transit grants in the amount of $28,000 for fiscal year 2015 (July 1, 2015 – June 30, 2016) and fiscal year 2016 (July 1, 2016 – June 30, 2017) as part of the organization’s mission to contribute to the economic growth and vitality of the region by investing in arts and cultural activities.

Metro Arts In Transit will use the grants to support three ongoing art programs and a future public art installation.

  • MetroLines: Metro transit’s regional poetry contest invites poets of all ages to submit up to three poems for consideration. The winning poems are displayed onboard MetroBus and MetroLink for up to one year. In addition, the 15 winning poets are invited to read their works at a public event held at the Regional Arts Commission.
  • Arts In Transit Bus Painting Events: Participants paint specially designed murals on a MetroBus vehicle and transform the bus into a rolling work of art in support of local non-profit initiatives. Artists are chosen through a competitive selection process and are paid for their design and artistic services. In recent years, Art Bus Paintings have been commissioned by the Society for the Blind and Visually Impaired, the Peter and Paul Society, the Girl Scouts of Western Missouri, the EarthWays Center of the Missouri Botanical Garden, Maplewood-Richmond Heights Elementary Schools, St. Louis Pride and Saint Louis Earth Day. The completed buses go into regular service for a one-year period.
  • MetroScapes: Metro Arts In Transit’s newest program turns unused advertising space at MetroBus shelters and MetroLink stations into public exhibits for one-of-a-kind posters. Local artists are invited to submit up to three pieces for consideration, and selected artists are compensated for their work. 
  • Public Art at Sunnen MetroLink Station: RAC grant funds will be used to commission an artist to design a decorative hand rail system for the Sunnen Park-Ride lot adjacent to the Sunnen MetroLink Station in Maplewood.

“The support from the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis reflects the impact of the work we do and the contributions Metro transit makes to the region,” said David Allen, Director of Metro Arts In Transit. “Through the support of RAC and other partners, we are able to expand and share the arts with our passengers and with the communities we serve across the St. Louis region.”

The Regional Arts Commission awarded 215 grants this year totaling more than $3.48 million to support nonprofit arts and cultural organizations like Metro Arts In Transit. Since its inception in 1985, RAC has awarded more than 6,700 grants totaling over $93 million to support art and cultural development in the St. Louis region.

About Bi-State Development Agency

The Bi-State Development Agency (BSDA) is the operator of the Metro public transportation system for the St. Louis region, which includes the 87 vehicle, 46-mile MetroLink light rail system; 379 MetroBus vehicle fleet that operates on 77 MetroBus routes; and Metro Call‑A‑Ride, a paratransit fleet of 120 vans. BSDA also owns and operates St. Louis Downtown Airport and its surrounding industrial business park, and the Gateway Arch Riverboats, as well as operates the Gateway Arch Revenue Collections Center and Gateway Arch Transportation System. The region’s new freight district also will be operated by BSDA.

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