Artists interested in submitting their proposals as part of the “TRANSIT STOP TRANSFORMATION PROJECT” must do so by Feb. 7 to be considered
Citizens for Modern Transit (CMT), the regional transit advocacy organization, AARP in St. Louis and KaBOOM!, a national non-profit that partners with communities to expand play opportunities for kids, have issued a call for artists from across the St. Louis area to submit proposals for a public art installation that will be featured as part of the Maplewood Transit Stop Transformation project, located at the corner of Manchester Rd. and Marshall Ave. Interested artists can view the request for proposal at cmt-stl.org and must submit their ideas and qualifications by Feb. 7, 2020, to be considered.
The Maplewood Transit Stop Transformation project is a joint initiative between CMT, AARP in St. Louis, KaBOOM!, the City of Maplewood and Citizens National Bank to convert the space surrounding the MetroBus stop at Manchester Rd. and Marshall Ave. into a fun, artistic space that encourages active play, cultivates community and increases transit use. The design for the overall project, which is being led by BlackArc Design, has been finalized – with input from the Maplewood Community. The public art installation is separate from the overall design and will be a key feature of this project.
As part of the public art installation, artists must be able to submit a design that celebrates the identity and City of Maplewood and work collaboratively with partners to ensure a timely and efficient delivery of the project. The artist must include a community engagement aspect, with community members – including those without any art training – playing a part in painting, installing or creating portions of the public art piece. The artist must also have a deep understanding and commitment to equitable development, the impact and possibility of play and the ability for creative interventions to produce long-term impact in neighborhoods.
“The public art installation will be a key feature of the overall design to reimagine the vacant space around the MetroBus stop in Maplewood, and we are excited to issue this request for proposal for local artists to submit their ideas and be a part of this much-needed transformation,” said Kimberly Cella, executive director of Citizens for Modern Transit. “We look forward to viewing proposals and unveiling the chosen design next month, and we are eager to work with the selected artist to bring to life a public art design that will further enhance the engaging space being created at this busy traffic stop.”
Artists interested in submitting their proposals for the public art installation must do so by 5 p.m. on Feb. 7. The artist and public art piece will be selected on Feb. 12 by a panel made up of members of the partnering organizations, with public art installation expected to take place in early March. The selected artist will be given $1,250 for the design concept, community engagement event and assistance with project installation. More details are available at https://cmt-stl.org/rfp-for-public-art-released-for-maplewood-transit-stop-transformation-project/.
The Maplewood Transit Stop Transformation project serves as an extension to Citizens for Modern Transit (CMT) and AARP in St. Louis’ ongoing efforts to raise awareness about “placemaking” around transit. This is a concept that transforms places people simply pass through in route to their next destination – like MetroLink and MetroBus stations – into active, engaging corridors that connect individuals and neighborhoods by offering access to products, services and green spaces. To learn more, call Citizens for Modern Transit at (314) 231-7272 or visit www.cmt-stl.org.
Citizens for Modern Transit (CMT) is the region’s transit advocacy organization. It was established in 1985 to help bring light rail to St. Louis and works to develop, support and enhance programming and initiatives to ensure safe, convenient and affordable access to the region’s integrated public transportation system. CMT champions, challenges, encourages and advocates for public transit in an effort to drive economic growth and improve the quality of life in the St. Louis region. To learn more, visit www.cmt-stl.org.