In collaboration with the fifth annual Iowa City Climate Fest, art installations made the city’s most popular form of public transportation pop. Several bus shelters got eye-catching makeovers throughout September to highlight the fun side of taking action to protect our environment.
The concept was created a few years ago by the Climate Action and Outreach Division of the Iowa City Downtown District.
“Last year, it was a little bit different. Instead of being neighborhood-focused, we did have a couple of the busiest bus stops around businesses,” Climate Action Engagement Specialist Megan Hill said. “This year, we decided to try something new and engage with community members and a few neighborhood associations to not only get volunteers to create their decorations but to put them up.”
Out of the many bus stops around the Iowa City area, four were decorated. These included the one on Muscatine Avenue and Court Street; the East Court Street and Court Hill Park entrance; Lakeside Drive and Nevada Avenue; and North Van Buren and East Jefferson Street.
Themes ranged from oceanic to floral decorations. When asked about how these four were chosen, Hill explained the research behind her and the team’s decision.
“First, we looked at the locations. We knew that we wanted to have bus stops with the neighborhoods so that if the [neighborhood] associations or [residents] wanted to help decorate, they were able to because it [would be] within walking distance. The second thing we looked at was the bus stops that were the busiest, had the most ridership or a lot of people driving,” Hill said.
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Once each stop was set in stone, some Iowa City locals started to generate design ideas. For a larger project like this, there were many individuals involved in the art process.
Erica Danner, a local painter and tattoo artist with an extensive repertoire, was one of the included artists. After working with the Climate Division for two years, Danner was contacted again so that she could recreate her mosaic style.
Danner also collaborated with several neighborhood associations around Iowa City, showing the spirit of community through art.
“I really like to lean into what’s unique about a project and the space surrounding it, and think about what opportunities there are to do something special that can’t be done with other projects,” Danner said.
Diane Platte, a member of the Longfellow Neighborhood Association, was more than happy with the partnership. The group had previously met up with Danner to exercise their creativity.
In the meeting, everyone worked with stencils and guides for the bus shelter designs at the Robert A. Lee Rec Center. Then, Platte’s association collaborated with the Morningside-Glendale Neighborhood Association to bring the design to life.
“Art is a good way to highlight the environmental benefits of riding the bus,” Ashley Laux, a member of the Morningside-Glendale Neighborhood Association, said.