Fairfax County is on the lookout for local artists who can add “community charm” to the bus stations for The One, the bus rapid transit (BRT) system planned for Richmond Highway (Route 1).
The county’s Department of Planning and Development (DPD) has partnered with ArtsFairfax to identify artists to decorate the station windscreens with digital art.
“This phase of the Community Charm project builds upon previous efforts and aims to integrate original public art into each station to foster a sense of local character, pride and enjoyment of the new BRT system,” the county said in a press release last Thursday (Aug. 21).
Currently carrying an estimated cost of $979 million, the Richmond Highway BRT will serve nine stations along a 7-mile stretch of road from the Huntington Metro station to Fort Belvoir. The buses will utilize in new dedicated lanes in the median of Route 1, a portion of which will first be widened by the Virginia Department of Transportation.
With construction on the road widening not expected to start until 2027, Fairfax County and VDOT are in the process of acquiring necessary land rights and demolishing properties.
The bus system won’t be completed until 2033 at the earliest, but that hasn’t stopped the county from sketching out what the new stations might look like. Launched in 2022, the Community Charm initiative solicited public input on artwork and other design elements that could give each stop its own specific sense of place and identity.
The planned bus stations will be at the Huntington Metro station, Kings Crossing, Beacon Hill, Lockheed Blvd, Gum Springs, Hybla Valley, the Gerry Hyland Government Center, Woodlawn and Fort Belvoir.
Seeking art for the station windscreens, which will be 60 feet wide by 8 feet tall, the county previously invited students to submit proposals.
Now, however, DPD and ArtsFairfax are turning to professionals at the request of the BRT Executive Committee that’s overseeing the Richmond Highway bus project.
Interested artists must submit three existing works that demonstrate their style and ability, and choose a preferred theme:
- Community and Identity: Celebrate a neighborhood’s multicultural population and local identity.
- Historic Significance: Illustrate the relevance and impact of local historic buildings, development patterns and cultural history.
- Natural Resources: Capture the local flora, fauna, parks and other natural resources.
- Local Government and County Services: Portray the relevance and impact of local government institutions and services.
A selection committee with representatives from DPD, the Fairfax County Department of Transportation, Southeast Fairfax Development Corporation, ArtsFairfax and the Richmond Highway community will then choose up to three artists to create concept designs for each station.
The finalists chosen to create concept designs will receive a $500 fee.
The committee will then narrow the concepts down to two options per station, with a public survey helping determine which artist should work on each site. Previously accepted submissions, including the student artwork, will also be considered in this final selection process.
The chosen artists will be paid an additional $1,000 for each installation, according to ArtsFairfax.
“The size and scale of the windscreen offers a unique opportunity for artists to work with a large area for visual impact,” the organization said.
The initial submission window will remain open until 7 p.m. on Sept. 30.
