CIA and GCRTA Special Bus Shelter Art in University Circle

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 9, 2024

CLEVELAND—The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) and Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA) collaborated to create artistic panels for the bus shelters located on Euclid Avenue at Stearns Road and Stokes Boulevard in Cleveland's University Circle neighborhood.

The project's theme was derived from GCRTA's current media campaign, "Let's Go Together," and developed through discussions between GCRTA Marketing and a class of more than 40 students at CIA.

"Our collaborative goal was for CIA students to create designs that showcase the diverse aspects of public transportation offered by GCRTA, and to depict how they incorporate it into their daily routines," explained Sharon Jenkins, GCRTA's Marketing Director. "I'm truly impressed by the artwork produced by the CIA students."

Students learned valuable lessons about understanding the real-world mission of an organization like GCRTA and the constraints community partners sometimes face. In addition, students learned the basics of making art in the public realm, where they must balance creativity with function.

"An opportunity like this helps prepare our students for real-world projects," said CIA associate professor Steven Gutierrez, who taught the class. "Students learned critical issues that professionals must deal with when creating artwork that is community-facing. In return, the students are proud of their community investment to make riding the RTA that much more enjoyable.”

The bus shelters' artwork was installed during the week of April 29 and can be seen by riders on GCRTA's HealthLine. GCRTA is able to apply custom art to bus shelter glass with an adhesive vinyl wrap that creates a visually enhanced transit waiting environment for riders.

This collaboration marks the second time in recent years that CIA and GCRTA have teamed up. In 2021, a class of CIA first-year students designed holiday-themed posters that were installed above the seats on GCRTA's popular Holiday Trolley.

CONTACTS

Cleveland Institute of Art
Michael C. Butz, Director of College Communications + External Relations
mcbutz@cia.edu / 216.421.7404

Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
Robert Fleig, Public Information Officer
Robert.Fleig@gcrta.org / 216.356.3016 (o) / 216.501.0242 (c)

ABOUT

Cleveland Institute of Art
The Cleveland Institute of Art is a private, nonprofit college of art and design that has been the training ground for countless students who have gone on to make important contributions to the fields of creativity and innovation since it opened in 1882 as the Western Reserve School of Design for Women. Its students have designed internationally recognized products, their artwork has been exhibited in major museums and private collections around the world, and their entertainment media has been enjoyed by audiences and game players for generations. It enrolls about 600 students nationally and internationally and has a faculty of about 100 full-time and adjunct members, all of whom are practicing artists, designers and scholars.

Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
GCRTA was formed in 1974 with the mission of providing public transit services to the 59 communities and 1.2 million residents of Cuyahoga County. As the largest public transit agency in the State of Ohio, GCRTA’s service options include bus, BRT, trolley, paratransit and three rail lines. GCRTA makes connections that empower individuals, neighborhoods, and communities to rise.