Bus riders can admire local artwork on South Main Street while they wait for their ride.
The City of Santa Ana Public Works Agency partnered with the Arts and Culture Commission to integrate public art into the community’s daily life along the South Main Street corridor. The Agency issued a Call for Public Art Proposals (CFP) to artists or art teams with connections or ties to Santa Ana for original designs embedded into the reconstruction along South Main Street between First Street and Warner Avenue. A panel reviewed the art submittals and awarded multiple artists or teams for their designs.
The local artwork selected to showcase in 17 bus shelters along S. Main Street was installed on October 16, 2023. The locations of the bus shelters displaying artwork can be viewed on a map at the following: https://www.santa-ana.org/public-art-projects/#/maps-1/map/bus-shelter-artwork. Each artwork has a QR code on the bottom left corner directing the public to the City website which contains art narratives and the history of South Main. The placement of the art was determined through collaboration with various community leaders who contributed valuable insights, creating a connection between the artwork and the historical sites along the corridor.
The artwork pictured above on the left is “Commute” by artist, Wendy Duong. Wendy said, “I wanted to play around with how the characters interacted using humor and playfulness. I exaggerate the characters’ figures and entangle the limbs to represent how everyone and everything is connected and influences each other in a community. I also wanted nature to break into the scene, even if it was fantastical, to bring the outdoors into the bus.” She also said, “Santa Ana’s support and grants for local artists is immensely beneficial to both the artist and the community. It has offered artists amazing opportunities that are difficult to obtain and allows viewers to be exposed to an array of talented local artists. Being able to display my art on a larger scale, like at this bus shelter, is rewarding and I am grateful I am able to contribute art to Santa Ana’s community.”
“The Soul of Santa Ana” artwork pictured on the right by artist Dore Kittrell. Dore shared “As a woman of color, I was initially drawn to Betty Willis’ story when I discovered she was a black American soul singer. It was only after digging a little deeper into her story that I learned of her untimely death. I felt inspired to shine a light on her life and music career, and to share her story with the community. Santa Ana has a unique cultural identity here in Orange County, and the city’s investment in the arts has enriched and revitalized that identity as a vibrant place to live, work, and visit, as well as preserved the city’s cultural heritage.”
Visit https://www.santa-ana.org/south-main-public-art-initiative/ to view the details of the 14 artists displaying their artwork in the various bus shelter locations.