SASKATOON TRANSIT BUSES BECOME MOBILE ART GALLERIES

Beginning today, Saskatoon Transit riders will have an opportunity to view their community in a new way as submissions from local photographers will be featured inside Saskatoon Transit buses as part of the Toon’s On Transit Exhibition.

The exhibit is possible through a unique partnership between Saskatoon Transit and PAVED Arts which is a non-profit, community-based organization that helps artists and independent producers exhibit the P.A.V.E.D. arts: Photography, Audio, Video, Electronic, and Digital.

“This partnership is a natural fit for us,” says Jim McDonald, Director of Saskatoon Transit. “The photographs in this exhibition showcase the diversity of Saskatoon through the eyes of our residents and present interesting snapshots of our city. Saskatoon Transit is proud to support community initiatives such as this one, which allow residents from every neighbourhood in Saskatoon to experience a piece of our local arts.”

Named after the popular Toon’s Kitchen restaurant that once stood where PAVED Arts has its gallery on 20th Street, Toon’s On Transit focuses on exhibiting locally produced art work.

After an open call for photographs that “reflect our city through the eyes of its people,” PAVED Arts received over 300 submissions in two months. A community jury reviewed each of the entries and narrowed them down to the 35 images that will be featured on Saskatoon Transit buses between Sept. 15 and Nov. 8.

“The response from residents to Toon’s On Transit has been overwhelming, from shutterbugs and artists of all skill levels,” says Alex Rogalski, Executive Director of PAVED Arts. “We are delighted to share the works of these 35 talented people with the rest of the city in such a unique and all-inclusive space such as our shared buses.”

During the exhibition period, 35 Saskatoon Transit buses will showcase the work of the selected photographers with each bus featuring a different image. A “super bus” will also be in rotation, serving as a mobile gallery featuring 10 of the photographs from the collection.

For more information about Saskatoon Transit, visit transit.saskatoon.ca or follow @StoonTransit on Twitter. You can also plan your route in advance using any of the following tools: Saskatoon Transit Trip Planner, Google Transit Trip Planner, or the Transit App on your mobile device.