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The City of Roanoke seeks artists to provide permanent works of art to be incorporated into four (4) new bus shelters in the Melrose-Orange Target Area (MOTA).
In partnership with Valley Metro, the City will install uniform bus shelters with custom details such as shelter panels and potential treatment of the underlying concrete pad. With the addition of artistic elements, the finished shelters should help communicate the neighborhood themes of “diversity, visibility, and possibility,” continuing the work of a stakeholder-driven process to bridge communities, celebrate diversity and history, and inspire residents to seek and realize opportunities for the future. The elements shall be designed through an inclusive, participatory process engaging neighbors, local business and property owners, and local students.
An engaged group of residents and stakeholders have expressed a desire for the shelters to incorporate color, educational themes, and a celebration of the diversity of the neighborhood, which incorporates a number of cultures and a large African-American population.
A collaboration of the Roanoke Public Libraries, the Roanoke Arts Commission, the Grandin Theatre, and the Feeding Southwest Virginia Community Solutions Center has led to the creation of the “We Are Art” rap cypher. The film will be released on Feb. 5, at 10 a.m. on the Roanoke Public Libraries Facebook page and YouTube page.
The 200 block of Campbell Avenue, SW, is the canvas for a community organized street mural project being implemented on Sunday, July 12. Deploying a dozen artists, the community is expressing its stance that racism has no place in Roanoke. The message: END RACISM NOW. Campbell Avenue will be closed for viewing through Saturday, July 18, 2020.
The Campbell Avenue mural will center on the City’s 1915 classical revival Municipal Building. The design, primarily comprised of 12-foot high letters, spans 140 feet. It is framed by a partial listing of Black victims of police violence across the country.
“Our city is not just painting the words on the street,” says Urban Arts Project volunteer. Alyasa “Aly” Jones. “We’re committed to the message. This is a step in the right direction as Roanoke shows support for their community to effect change. We hope this sparks a much-needed conversation and the unification our city needs to END RACISM NOW!”
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