Artists invited to take part in creative bus project
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By Jeremy F. van der Heiden

The Somerville Arts Council has released an open call for artists interested in helping transform an old school bus into something completely different. While the officials involved have set the goal of the vehicle remaining completely functional – in that they wish it to remain road-ready – the project is to use the bus as a very large palette for creative design.

In terms of the types of individuals who are being asked to apply, local artists, welders and creative minds are in the running, as the SAC is hoping there will be sculptural elements in addition to murals. The end design and project itself is still very much in flux, as officials from the agency want individuals who are passionate about design to get the program rolling in the right direction.

The SAC noted it is looking for design schemes that might yield an opportunity to get young people and public programs involved in the actual exterior painting. But first, the council wants to have someone –or multiple parties– who will help to develop the complete design, inside and outside of the bus, to guide the smaller projects to make the vision a reality.

“The City of Somerville, led by the Somerville Arts Council, has bought an old school bus, which will be transformed into a Multi Use Somerville Community Roving Transport (MUSCRAT), the council explained in a release. “We anticipate that the inside of the bus will be used to conduct roaming art classes, performance art or dance, while the outside of the bus could be used to screen films or host concerts. The intent for our MUSCRAT is to create a flexible roving catalyst for creation.”

Officials from the SAC also noted that one idea was to have one specific section left completely untouched by this first stream of projects, which will then be periodically painted by various groups and artists in the future. However, they did note that they are completely open to alternative ideas and are more interested in finding participants who will think outside of the box for this undertaking.

Interested parties will need to compile a Word document that includes contact information, professional website, when one is applicable, and diagrams or rough sketches of the proposed bus design. The council stressed that these drafts do not to be exceedingly specific, as the first step is simply to get a better idea of the macroscopic plans for the bus.

The council also requested applications include a budget with estimated costs of supplies and time, a detailed description of how the design will be completed in real life and a history of sorts to demonstrate a track record in large-scale projects such as this one.

Applicants are also asked to list any Somerville affiliations, as well as those with local cultural organizations that might be involved in the project. Designers should keep in mind that this specific vehicle is a full-sized, approximately 30-foot long bus, which leaves plenty of room for various creative components.

The deadline to is Monday, April 28, and all interested parties should direct their communications to the SAC’s Gregory Jenkins at gjenkins@somervillema.gov. For more information on the Somerville Arts Council, visit www.somervilleartscouncil.org.