National Arts Grant Award - City of Kennewick

Description

The Benton Franklin Public Transit Benefit Area (BFPTBA) is a municipal corporation of the State of Washington. Ben Franklin Transit (BFT) is dedicated to providing public mass transportation within Benton and Franklin Counties in the State of Washington.BFT provides the community with numerous public bus routes, paratransit service meeting ADA requirements for the elderly and disabled, and overseeing Connect, the regional rideshare program. Working in conjunction with other regional organizations, BFT provides an important link in the chain of seamless regional transportation services. BFT carries approximately 2.4 million riders a year on a fixed-route fleet of 71 buses, in addition to 96 paratransit vehicles servicing the region.BFT as the regional public transportation provider for the Mid-Columbia region of Eastern Washington, will launch a place-based public art initiative designed to elevate civic pride, cultural identity, and regional storytelling through transit. BFT will commission local artists to design six unique bus wraps, each celebrating the distinct character and history of one of the six incorporated cities in its service area:Benton CityKennewickPascoProsserRichlandWest RichlandThese mobile murals will serve as artistic and cultural symbols, uniting communities across Benton and Franklin Counties and reinforcing BFT's role in connecting people, places, and purpose. The initiative builds on BFT's 2025 "Show Us Your City" theme, expanding it from a limited high school student program into an open, professionally fitted, fleet-wide art initiative via a formal Request for Proposals (RFP) process. This program is partially funded and is intended to align with the National Endowment for the Arts' "Our Town" discipline.