MARTA Launches Its New Public Art Program
Cellist Jenn Cornell and drummer Emrah Kotan play at MARTA’s ArtBound kickoff event Monday at the Five Points MARTA station.
Adhiti Bandlamudi / WABE
MARTA is launching a program that might make its stations a little livelier.
The public transportation authority is kicking off its “ArtBound” program this year, which will bring static art and dance and music performances to stations across metro Atlanta.
Keith Parker, MARTA’s CEO, says this program could change up someone’s commute and encourage other Atlantans to ride public transit.
“If a person’s had a tough day at work, instead of just the normal chatter you hear in the background, you’re able to look at some beautiful performance art. We think that’s going to really incentivize the overall ridership public and make the ridership experience better for those who are already riding us,” Parker says.
Parker says one of ArtBound’s first priorities is to install art at the Hamilton Holmes station. Hamilton Holmes was one of the first black students at the University of Georgia. Parker says many MARTA riders don’t know that and hopes to teach people about Holmes through public art.
“We think Atlanta has its own special feel, and special identification pieces and public art is going to be one of the things that differentiates our transit system from others,” Parker says.
MARTA is using 1 percent of its capital budget to fund ArtBound. That totals to around $2.5 million to $3 million in arts funding.
This fall, MARTA will hold auditions to select those live acts.
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