Archive: Around Town

The commute on TCAT buses these days should be brighter and more thought provoking, thanks to the talents of TST BOCES Community High School students and teachers.

BOCES teaching artist Janet Locke and art teacher Jodi Riggs this past school year tapped into the creativity of their art students to create posters aimed at environmental sustainability. TCAT agreed to display artwork indefinitely in the interiors of TCAT’s more than 50 buses.

"The theme for these posters is loving our planet Earth, growing food and being aware of our use of natural resources," Janet said. "We are hoping our posters will delight the eyes of our fellow citizens and inspire them to think about where our food comes from."

Indeed, the colorful 17‑inch‑by‑11‑inch illustrations that TCAT bus handlers placed in TCAT buses are sure to delight with a variety of representational and abstract imagery that encourage people to become good stewards of the planet.


Janet and Jodi said that they were able to complete the project this past semester with the help of many private local sponsors who paid for art materials and printing costs. Previously, Janet and Jodi shepherded three successful community art projects that were funded with Artist/Teacher Partnership Grants through the Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County. For one project in 2009, their students made inspirational posters that were placed in TCAT buses much to the enjoyment of TCAT passengers.

“The TCAT people are very enthusiastic about using the students’ art work again, and the students are looking forward to an extra reason to use our wonderfully complete bus services to search for their pieces,” Janet said.

“A big thanks to our private supporters, whose generosity paid for our printing and materials costs,” Janet added.

TCAT General Manager Joe Turcotte offered thanks to the TST BOCES students and teachers for their willingness to share their creations with TCAT riders.  He said TCAT will supply free bus passes to the artists as a show of appreciation.

“Their message and TCAT’s message go hand in hand,” Joe said. “Public transit is a big factor in ‘going green’ and we are thankful that our community’s young people want to promote the message that taking care of our environment is essential to all of us.”

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