Traffic flows past a bus stop on N. 31st Street in Fort Smith on Friday, August 5, 2022. Talicia Richardson, executive director of 64.6 Downtown, said the organization has partnered with artist Sarah Ridgley and the city of Fort Smith to produce “art-filled” transit shelters in and around downtown that will feature work by local artists. Ken Savage, director of the Fort Smith Transit Department, said 10 of these transit shelters are currently planned and will be paid for using a combination of federal funds and Ridgley’s donation. Visit nwaonline.com/220807Daily/ for today’s photo gallery.
(NWA Democrat-Gazette/Hank Layton)
FORT SMITH — People riding the city’s downtown transit service can expect to see an artistic new way to stay out of the elements while waiting for their ride.
Talicia Richardson, executive director of Fort Smith-based 64.6 Downtown, said her organization partnered with artist Sarah Ridgley and the city to produce transit shelters in and around downtown, with interiors featuring the work of local artists.
Ken Savage, director of the city’s Department of Transportation, said 10 shelters are planned, though more could be obtained if enough money is available. The project has a budget of 200,000 dollars.
Ridgley, who lives in Fort Smith, said he was contacted by 64.6 Downtown about his interest in setting up walk-through shelters in late 2021. He was inspired to do this when he saw a man standing at a bus stop in the rain and decided to give him an umbrella. a year ago
“The main thing is just a way to get out of the elements,” Ridgley said. “I’d love for people to be able to use the bus and not have to worry about being in the rain if their hands are full of stuff, or if they have kids, or if they’re in one of those motorized wheelchairs.”
The art aspect of the project is meant to give people something to grab while waiting for the bus, according to Ridgley. It will also give local high school and college students the opportunity to display their work publicly and build their portfolios and experience as artists.
Ridgley said he is a creative artist, meaning he creates computer programs that produce art on the fly. He launched a creative art project on the digital platform Art Blocks before contacting Richardson, which allowed him to donate a portion of the proceeds to a chosen charity for the project.
Savage said the department met with Richardson and Ridgley about the project while formulating this year’s budget. Ridgley’s $40,000 donation served as the local portion of an 80-20 match to leverage Federal Transit Administration grants for the project to purchase, assemble and install 10 transit shelters. Likewise, the city’s Streets and Traffic Control Directorate will cover the concrete covers where the work and shelters will be placed.
Savage said the shelters will be located on Department of Transportation routes. Departments that would be helpful to people using the system will be placed where you think they will be, although there may be minor adjustments.
Richardson emailed local art teachers who were looking for students to participate in the project toward the end of the 2021-22 school year, Ridgley said. A couple of students have expressed interest so far, and 64.6 Downtown will try to get more students involved next school year.
“We are looking for artwork that promotes mental health and mindfulness in an effort to attract more people to use public transportation in the city of Fort Smith,” Richardson said in his email. “Citizens use public transport for many reasons, choice, circumstance or environmental reasons. We want to raise awareness and commitment to this local service through the attention your artwork can bring.”
Ridgley said two of the shelters plan to display his art. Those with questions about the project can email 64.6 Downtown at info@646downtown.com.
David Hewitt, the Department of Transportation’s driver manager, said the shelters are expected to arrive for department assembly at the end of September. When all will be installed will depend on Department of Transportation staff and Street Department concrete paving.
Richardson said 64.6 Downtown hopes to have these “art-filled shelters” installed by early winter.
The collaboration is part of the organization’s effort to create intentional partnerships with local and regional artists, as well as opportunities to build or train new artists, according to Richardson.
64.6 Downtown is responsible for creating vibrant spaces in downtown Fort Smith by promoting business development, arts and culture, special events and projects, and engaging amenities, according to the organization’s website. All this is to help accelerate the development of multiple trades.
One of the organization’s past endeavors was Unexpected, which annually brought artists from around the world to their mall, often in murals that can still be seen today.
Richardson said another example of 64.6 Downtown’s partnership is a creative writing workshop for youth and adults with Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville and Fayetteville-based artist Leah Grant.
The free event will be from 18:00-20:00. Thursday at 1100 Garrison Ave., according to a news release. Participants will learn about the process of writing a letter to a friend, including hand pressing letters. Their letters may appear as part of a series of public art works created by Grant.
Richardson said this event is expanding the community’s view of what constitutes art.
“64.6 Downtown is best known for its Unexpected Mural programming, right?” Richardson said. “So art is more than just adding murals to your art scene. It’s the creative writing aspect, it’s the culinary arts aspect, dance, choreography, music, live music, creation. All the things that make art and culture for a community” .
Danielle Hatch, associate director of community engagement at Crystal Bridges, said Thursday’s event is part of a series of programs the museum is facilitating in the region over the course of six months.
“Leah is leading a workshop a month in several cities, and each city after the workshop has a public art installation, which is a large-scale version of one of the participants’ letters, which also includes a hand-printing technique that Leah demonstrates during the workshop,” he said. Hatch.
