Art Shelter Program - 2018 edition "California Dreamin'"

Target Audience: The Art Shelter program is intended to benefit the entire community. This program has been ongoing for 19 years, which is how many shelters now contain unique artistic designs. The program helps take an ordinary piece of street furniture and transform it into a work of art and conversation piece.

Strategy Objective:The Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority (LAVTA) and the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District have partnered for 19 years on the Art Shelter Program. Each year, high school art students at Livermore's Granada High School prepare a design for installation in one of LAVTA's shelters. The students submit the art for approval, then paint the shelter panels over the course of the school year during lunch hours and after school. LAVTA provides the blank shelter panels and paint. The shelters containing the student art are then dedicated at a ceremony near the end of the school year. The attached pictures show this year's shelter design and the dedication ceremony.

Situation Challenge: LAVTA began the Bus Shelter Art Program in 1999 to discourage vandalism to Tri-Valley bus shelters. For over 19 years, these murals have enhanced our neighborhoods while providing an opportunity for budding young artists to utilize their creative talents. In addition, each piece offers bus riders a pleasant experience while waiting for the bus. This year's art installment is called California Dreamin'.

Results Impact: The Mayor of Livermore, John Marchand, presided over the dedication ceremony on May 31, 2018. Many of the mural artists and their friends and families were present. The event was covered by local media and the shelter serves as another installment in the Art Shelter program. Cynthia Patton, Livermore Poet Laureate, wrote and read a poem dedicated to the shelter design (see attached).

Why Submit: The LAVTA Art Shelter program is a unique partnership between a transit system and a local high school. The transit system benefits by having artwork at our transit shelters, which has been shown to reduce vandalism. The high school art students benefit by having their work displayed in a public place and contributing to an improved artistic environment in the community.