Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC) has introduced the Saving Transit Art Resources (STAR) Act, which would reinstate a federal flexibility that allows local transit authorities to incorporate art into federally-funded transit projects.

“Public art is infrastructure. When incorporated into transit networks, public art increases ridership, reduces vandalism, and encourages safety and security,” said Rep. Adams. “The STAR Act would enable transit authorities to incorporate public art as part of their infrastructure investments, creating more vibrant and welcoming mass transit options.”

For 30 years in cities and towns—small and large—across America, transit agencies have employed artists to enhance their transit projects. These costs typically comprised 1-2 percent of a project’s budget and could be used to support the employment of an artist on a design team if artistic elements were integrated into the design or facility. However, in 2015, Congress passed legislation that included a provision prohibiting the use of Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funds for the incorporation of art into transit projects.

Americans for the Arts endorses the STAR Act to restore local control over art projects to transit authorities and applauds Rep. Adams for bringing this bill forward again in the 117th Congress.

Pictured: “MacArthur Park, Urban Oasis” by lead artist Sonia Romero, photo by Metro Art. 2011 Public Art Network Year in Review.