Birds + Bugs by Bus
Video created by Northern Essex Community College of Jenn Houle's behind the scenes work for Birds + Bugs by Bus and their article.
Essex County Community Foundation article on MVCulture Project.
A Creative Placemaking project with Merrimack Valley Transit, Merrimack Valley Planning Commission and Essex County Community Foundation. Eight murals of songbirds and butterflies, adorned with the native plants that sustain them will be reproduced and installed in 22 bus shelters in Amesbury, Lawrence and Haverhill. ‘Green Leaf Signs’ will map transit accessible green space. Beth Dyer Clary has written fun, dynamic project signage that tells viewers more about the life stories present in each mural.
This project weaves so much together:
* Highlighting the critical connection between native plants-pollinators-birds
* Helping bridge the nature deficit and increase that feeling of ‘botanical belonging’ (Robin Wall Kimmerer perfect term)
* Getting more people to ride the FREE bus in the Merrimack Valley
* Inspiring more bird nerds, butterfly watchers, and eco-warrior gardeners
It is systems change: using art to work across sectors of society to lay the groundwork for long lasting positive change. Something I’ve thought a lot about since the ECCF Changemakers program in 2023.
This is the culmination of a multi-year partnership with these three awesome organizations and I am so grateful for the opportunity to be one of the artists involved! I started engaging with the project idea two years ago by participating in the community feedback and planning sessions leading up to the call for artists. Kate Delaney has designed a fantastic Arts and Culture Transit Map, another component of this MVCulture project that is funded by an Our Town grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
We hope to lead programing like Birding by Bus and build more upon this initial phase so keep an eye out.
Many people have helped so much with this project from conceptual feedback to logistics to design tips and excellent enthusiasm! Big thanks to Ella Weber for all her awesome ideas to shape this project and Jenny Arndt for her support!
Thank you everyone.