Columbus College of Art & Design students and teachers have transformed a COTA bus in the heart of downtown to promote art, discussion and transit.
Mike Foley reports.
Mobilize represents a collaborative installation and community programming initiative between the Columbus College of Art & Design, the Central Ohio Transit Authority and the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District. Local artist and CCAD instructor Kim Webb describes the inside of the bus and the project’s week-long mission.
“A lot of these are sculptures and drawings from CCAD,” Webb said. “Some of them are discarded objects that have been transformed into new forms along with a lot of fabric and collage and drawings. Everyone that comes on the bus essentially is part of transforming the bus by being part of the project, so the project is more about the people than it is necessarily about the objects on the bus. The ultimate goal is to have people come together. New relationships form, new ideas spark, and people hearing different perspectives.”
Capital Crossroads executive director Cleve Ricksecker admits it’s also a reminder that C-pass registration begins May 1. Starting June 1, eligible downtown workers receive an unlimited bus pass thanks to a partnership involving the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, COTA, and the improvement district’s downtown property owners. But there’s a deeper meaning too, according to Ricksecker.
“Transit is not just a way of moving people,” Ricksecker said. “I feel that public space is so important to a community. Like going to parks and like going to public theaters, public transportation is a way of sharing space with people who aren’t just like you. Building a civil community really depends upon things like public transit. You encounter people and you build rapport with people who you otherwise wouldn’t do if you weren’t riding the bus. When Kim Webb came to us with this idea, it seemed like a natural fit to be on the bus, to do the yoga, to hear stories and poetry readings. It fits right in.”
Other events include face painting, dancing, and meditations as well as conversations on topics that include health and wellness and social justice. The Mobilize bus sits at the corner of Broad and High streets all week. The programs are free and open to the public.
Here’s a full rundown of the weekly schedule.
MOBILIZE CALENDAR OF EVENTS:
Monday, April 23, Mobilize—Economic Development and Transportation
- 10 a.m. – noon, Conversations with COTA and Capital Crossroads SID about current innovations and Columbus happenings
- Noon – 1 p.m., Yoga
- 1:30 – 3 p.m., Storytime with bus drivers and bus riders
Tuesday, April 24, Mobilize - Sustainability and Transportation
- 10 a.m. – noon, Conversations with CCAD students, Columbus Public Health and more
- Noon – 1 p.m., Face painting with CCAD artists Alexa Bolton and Allison Duemmel and more
- 1 – 3 p.m., Big Talk, Small Talk with Tylan McCollum
Wednesday, April 25, Mobilize - Health and Transportation
- 10 a.m. – noon, Conversations with Columbus Public Health, Parker Hannahs and Sarah Hale (of Defining Skin) and more
- Noon – 1 p.m., Dancing with Katy Daiber and more
- 1 – 3 p.m., Poetry readings and open mic organized by Katy Daiber and Eris Lynn
Thursday, April 26, Mobilize - Social Justice and Transportation
- 10 a.m. – noon, Conversations with Mark Lomax and more
- Noon – 1 p.m., Guided meditations with Tylan McCollum
- 1 – 3 p.m., Poetry readings and open mic
Friday, April 27, Mobilize - Art and Transportation
- 10 a.m. – noon, Conversations with CCAD’s Art & Social Practice class
- Noon – 1 p.m., Psychic readings and Tarot cards with Gabriel Yahl and special guest
- 1 – 1:30 p.m., Razzle Dazzle with Danielle Julian Norton and more
- 2 – 3 p.m., Fashion show organized by Nashwa Bawuah and Gabriel Yahl
