Art + Transit Bus Shelter Application

Request for Qualifications

Artistic Bus Shelters 2026

We’re looking for Triangle-based artists or artist teams to create original 2-D designs for bus shelters in Chapel Hill and Carrboro, part of our Art + Transit project.

Final designs will be printed on adhesive vinyl and installed on bus shelter glass by the Town. The artwork will be on display for at least 12 months.

FINALIST STIPEND: $100/artist or team

PROJECT STIPEND: $500-$600/artist or team, depending on bus shelter size

ELIGIBILITY: Applicants must be 18+, live within 40 miles of Chapel Hill, and submit application materials using the instructions below. Selected artists must be able to deliver final designs as .AI or .EPS files per required specifications.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 5pm on Wednesday, February 25, 2026

Community Arts & Culture aims to inspire creativity and celebrate community for a better Chapel Hill. We value inclusion, experience, and understanding, and encourage proposals that reflect these values.

Applications are now closed.

Use our online application to upload the following materials as one zipped file. Don’t know how to zip a file? Learn more here. File formats other than those requested will not be considered.

Applications should include:

Four (4) Images and List of Previous Work
- Submit (4) images of past work that represents your style of work and/or is relevant to this project.
- Each image should be about 900 pixels (longest dimension) and no larger than 600 KB.
- Submit each image as a separate .jpg file.
- Submit an image list as a separate .docx or .pdf file and include the file name, media, and dimensions.
Resume

No more than 2 pages for each artist / team member providing artistic resume and description of relevant projects.
Application materials will be reviewed by a Selection Team made of representatives from Chapel Hill Transit, local artists, and other community stakeholders. Finalists will be invited to submit proposals based upon the artistic excellence of previous works and applicability of artists’ style and subject matter to public art in bus shelters. Each Finalist will receive a $100 proposal stipend. Project Artists/Teams will be selected based on the artistic excellence and suitability of their proposal for bus shelter art.

Artwork above by Leticia Mendes, Max Dowdle (photo by Fly Squirrel Films), and Sampada Kodagali Agarwal.

Creating artwork for the bus shelter was a wonderful experience. The Town of Chapel Hill Community Arts & Culture department’s commitment to artists and public spaces made the project meaningful and impactful for the community. Seeing commuters interact with the artwork daily reminds me why public art matters, and I’m grateful to be part of a team that values creativity in shared spaces. The selection of my Warli artwork reflects a deep respect for folk traditions while making them accessible to the wider community. I am proud to see this visual language shared in such an open, welcoming setting.

— Sampada Kodagali Agarwal, 2025 Bus Shelter Artist

Explore Art + Transit.

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