Simply waiting for the bus is a thing of the past - today there is a chance that you will encounter a work of art. At least in Fellbach. With the support of the city, the local artists’ association has made an artist’s idea reality and given bus and coach stops an unmistakeable new face under the motto “weart the city”. 

“Art needs to take over public spaces. We want to change the prevalent view that art is just for the elite classes and create space for new approaches,” says Dr Renate Herrmann, the driving force and organiser of the campaign. “People need art to be able to engage with various topics emotionally. This can also take place subconsciously or in passing – or when waiting at a bus stop.” And what could be better than to use spaces that already exist. Places where people already spend a long time waiting, day after day. Bus stops. 

The idea of presenting artworks behind glass is one the artist Valentin Vitanov already had years ago. “At that time, I had just done my first piece using the reverse glass technique and wanted to do more in this direction. The idea of involving the bus and coach stops just came to me. Dr Hermann’s concept for displaying art in public spaces made it possible to realise the idea.” The artists’ association started the eye-catching project in cooperation with artists, sponsors and the city. Bus and coach stops were redesigned as outdoor galleries. To achieve this, the conventional glass panes are replaced with slightly translucent reverse glass prints. The large-scale artistic motifs light up almost of their own accord and produce captivating colour and depth.

Interestingly, the project is completely financed by sponsors, most of them local companies. The Fellbach artists’ association provides its services for free and the city acts as patron. Redesigning a bus stop with three large panes of glass, printed on both sides, costs around 7,000 euros. 

Passengers can find the first four art stops on line 60, which turned out to be ideal for realising the project. Dr Heribert Sautter from the Fellbach cultural office: “Not all stops are suitable for conversion. We work within certain limits. Urban planning has to be involved. For example, there are bus stops that have to remain transparent for road safety reasons. Additionally, we need to avoid creating dark corners.” 

By now, however, the creators have experience and know how it's done, which is why the installation of further art stops is being considered: “The art stops project is ideal for our regional artists. We have a lively art scene that can present itself here, and the project is also good for the appearance of the town,” continues Sautter.

Passengers are pleased with the new bus stops and respect them. This is plain to see. All four art stops are in a spotless condition, even after a year. “The level of inhibition preventing people from dirtying or even destroying something beautiful like our bus stops is very high. We are upgrading our public transport and our city,” says Sautter. Experience has proven this to be true. While at normal bus stops, litter is carelessly tossed aside, benches are soiled and schedules scratched, at the art stops you find carefully filled bins, clean benches and spotless schedules. 

“Even taggers respect the artworks,” Vitanov can report. “People waiting at the stops study the many details in the images. As if the bus stops form their own art space, with its own positive energy.” And positive energy is what the project is using to move forwards. A new bus stop is currently being converted. “The sponsor has chosen a large flower motif for this stop,” Vitanov says.