Art In Transit is IndyGo’s new initiative that will feature work from local artists at IndyGo bus stops, shelters, stations and/or facilities. They highly value equity, diversity and inclusion and this program will bring local artists together to showcase their beautiful and unique art projects.

BUDGET:  Proposals should be made for amounts between $500 and $2,500.

ELIGIBILITY: Marion County residents over 18 and working in the visual, performing, literary, and social practice arts

DEADLINE:  January 10, 2021

IndyGo is looking for projects that:

• Have a strong likelihood of enhancing the rider experience by making it more enjoyable, useful, interesting, equitable, or relaxing.
• Are culturally relevant to the majority of riders.
• Create a welcoming space for all transit users.
• Enhance the environment of our city.
• Contribute to the artists’ own creative goals.
• Can be executed using existing IndyGo assets or properties without significant alteration.

In addition to providing funds to artists to execute their projects, IndyGo may be able to take on certain costs if they are already part of IndyGo’s normal expenses. Regardless of the project’s budget, applicants are encouraged to find partners with whom the cost of design, fabrication, and installation may be shared. While the selection committee strongly encourages applicants to demonstrate committed financial support, there are no penalties assessed for those who do not.

TIMELINE

• January 10: Deadline for Spring/Summer Proposals
• January 31: Make Project Selections.
• Mid-February: Notify Artists
• March 1: Announce Spring/Summer Programming

PROJECT ASSETS

Artists can choose to work with one or more of the following IndyGo assets for their projects:

FIXED ROUTE INFRASTRUCTURE

• Shelters
• Seating
• Concrete pads at stops/stations

FIXED ROUTE BUSES

• Interior advertising panels
• Bus back advertising panel
• Full bus wrap (digital or painted)
• On-bus live programming: e.g. music, dance, poetry performances

RAPID TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE (Red Line) 

• Station signage panels
• Station ramp fencing
• Glass windscreen
• Trash can
• Station platform (live programming only)
• Platform speakers (recorded programming/sound only)

RAPID TRANSIT BUSES (Red Line)

• Inside bus panels
• Interior digital screens
• Speakers (recorded programming/sound only)

CARSON TRANSIT CENTER

• Central lobby: live programming (e.g. music, dance, poetry performances)
• Lobby ceiling
• Rain gardens and other landscaping
• Speakers (for sound-based programming)
• Screens

OTHER OPTIONS

• Traffic signal control boxes adjacent to transit stops
• Murals on walls adjacent to transit stops
• To discuss these or other options, contact the Arts Council of Indianapolis.

PROPOSAL RESTRICTIONS

As a public agency, IndyGo is responsible for maintaining a clean, safe, and accessible forum for ideas.

• Politics, social issues, and public policy are key parts of the global conversation and the artist’s creative take on all of these are welcome; however, Art in Transit will not accept project submissions with partisan political statements, inflammatory language or rhetoric, or extremist positions that are harmful to human worth and dignity. Artwork may neither attack, nor advocate for, specific political parties, party platforms, or individual political leaders.
• Arts projects may not be used to “sell” products or services.
• Artwork promoting agendas held by specific religious or faith traditions will not be accepted.
• All science promoted in artistic statements must be evidence-based.

WHAT TO PROVIDE

1. Artist contact information
2. Description of past experience (narrative)
3. Describe the ideal IndyGo site for your project. If you have a specific site or stop/station in mind, name it.
4. Description of project, including size, type/style of art, amount of community involvement, how your project relates to the site/neighborhood, and detailed budget or requested fee. If it’s not a performance-based project, include installation details, duration on view, and decommissioning/deinstallation process.
5. If maintenance is required, describe the maintenance needs, costs, and schedule. Will maintenance be performed by IndyGo or by the artist?
6. Describe your needs at the IndyGo location to make your project work. (Will you need power? Will you need shade? Etc.)
7. Describe any community support you have gathered or plan to gather to ensure your project is a success. All houses and businesses with a view of the project must be informed of the project. Submitters should work with the local community to create awareness of the project. This will be done in concert with IndyGo Public Affairs team once an agreement is finalized.
8. Upload any materials that will help the IndyGo team understand the project: these could be sound clips, links to videos, artwork designs, photos of past work, artist resume, etc. (50MB limit per uploaded file)
9. Provide links to websites with additional information.

HOW TO APPLY

Apply online here.