A long, long time ago we wrote rather deliriously about Bus-Tops, an arts project that puts glowing messages on top of bus shelters. The project was a submission for the Artists Taking the Lead commission for the Cultural Olympiad. It won, leading to us having a happy chat with Alfie Dennen, one of the artists behind it. A little over two years later and after a lot of work with TfL and Arts Council England, Bus-Tops are finally here, and lighting up London's bus journeys really nicely.
Check out our pictures taken from the top deck of a bus on the night of the Bus-Tops launch — the striking graphics are Mark Titchner's '31 Day Programme', an evolving series of messages and motivational challenges meant to inspire and enlighten the most mundane of bus journeys. Our tip to London bus passengers in 2012 is go upstairs and take a seat on the left for the best views, and have a go at putting your own work on a Bus-Top when the Bus-Top submissions website is ready.
BUS-TOPS IN NUMBERS:
- Bus stops with Bus-Top screens — 30
- London boroughs with bus stops with Bus-Top screens — 20
- Bus routes featuring Bus-Tops — 6
- Contemporary artists featuring in month-long residencies and new work on Bus-Tops — 9
- Months Bus-Tops will be active across London this year — 9
- Hours in a day Bus-Top screens will be active — 24
- Frames per second each Bus-Top screen can manage for animated artworks — 10
- Pixel by pixel proportions of a Bus-Top — 256 x 80
- Colours in which Bus-Tops display artworks — 2 (black and red)
For more information on Bus-Tops and how to take part in this city-wide public art project, go to the Bus-Tops website.
