Lextran 2026 Call for Artists: Bus Shelter Art

Lextran, the public transit authority in Lexington, Kentucky, wants to add a touch of art to bus shelters along a busy route, and it is calling on artists to create the designs. The 2026 Call for Artists offers a prize for winning artwork to be displayed at bus shelters along Versailles Road.

Up to four artists will be selected. Organizers are looking for the best designs that reflect the diversity of the community, adding color and vibrancy to the locations and giving riders a sense of peace while they wait for the bus. The art shelter program is a partnership between Lextran and District 11 Councilmember Jennifer Reynolds, expanding on the project's first mural by Mercedes Harn, which is now displayed on a city building on Versailles Road.

Winning designs will be reproduced on vinyl panels and installed on the shelters, giving selected artists a permanent, highly visible public platform. The artists selected will each receive $2,500. A committee will review the submissions to choose the four artists.

This is a strong opportunity for Lexington-area artists interested in public art and community placemaking. The program emphasizes work that speaks to local identity and diversity, and the vinyl-panel format makes a wide range of two-dimensional approaches viable, from painting and illustration to graphic and pattern-based design. Artists should consult Lextran for full submission requirements and timing.