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Local artists dress up bus shelters across Victoria

‘Commute’ installation part of Create Victoria Arts and Culture Master Plan
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Goldstream Trees by Victoria-based artist Mike Lathrop dresses up the bus shelter at Johnson and Quadra streets. Kristyn Anthony/VICTORIA NEWS

Six of the city’s bus shelters are looking a little brighter these days thanks to a handful of local artists.

From now until the end of June 2019, 18 pieces of artwork will be showcased at bus stops in the downtown core and Fernwood in a temporary installation entitled Commute.

In a release, the City said the pilot project is “designed to encourage dialogue and new ways of thinking about neighbourhoods and public spaces” as well as to inspire and cultivate future local artists.

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The artists – Margaret Briere, Dan Eastabrook, Alysha Farling, Kerri Flannigan, Emily Geen, Christoph James, Mike Lathrop, Amber Lomax, Renée Nault, Libby Oliver, Peruzzo, Shawn Pomeroy, Gillian Staples, Austin Willis, and Eriq Wong – will be featured on a rotating basis.

The first set will be displayed from July to October 2018, the second set from Nov. 2018 to Feb. 2019, and the third set from March until June 2019.

Commute was developed in response to input that the City received during engagement on its Create Victoria Arts and Culture Master Plan last year, when emerging artists asked for more opportunities to participate in and exhibit their art in Victoria.

The City put out a call to emerging, Indigenous, and multicultural artists in the Capital Region to submit pieces, or create new artwork for consideration. The work was then selected by a jury and each artist will be paid $500 per image displayed.

kristyn.anthony@vicnews.com