Simplified: Sioux Falls artists are thinking creatively about public transit, and they hope their work will inspire city officials as they look at the future of busing.

Why it matters

  • The overall project is called "Going Metro." It is led by the Sioux Falls Design Center and funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
  • The goal of the project is to create community conversations about public transit through a series of art. The idea is that creative input will make better policy, said Sara Lum, volunteer project manager.
  • These artistic conversations coincide with broader city conversations about the future of the Sioux Area Metro, as the city looks to move from fixed bus routes to an on-demand system – a project currently being piloted on the advice of a transit task force.
"Sometimes art is that conversation starter," said Kellen Boice, former director of the Sioux Falls Design Center and one of the artists featured in the current gallery.

Tell me more about the art

Phase one of the project – a more general artistic look at transit – is on display now at the Washington Pavilion, and artists for the second phase – which asks designers to reimagine bus stops or shelters – were announced last week.

Angela Zonunpari and her husband Eli Show were one of the artist teams selected to design an artistic bus shelter.

  • Both of them spent time living in New York City, where they relied heavily on public transit.
  • Zonunpari said she hopes to design a shelter that incorporates green space, light, safety and has the ability to withstand South Dakota weather.
  • She also hopes the couple's design can help people think differently about approaching transit.
"That's the great thing about living in a place like Sioux Falls," she said. "You have that space, and you have that voice to go to your city officials or to have a larger discussion."

What happens next?

The first phase, Go Art, is on display now.

The second phase, Go Design, will be displayed at the Washington Pavilion starting Aug. 27.

Events that day will include a public reception and a lecture from Kate Chanba, a designer, cartographer and cartoonist who works as a product designer for Apple.