Shelters are one of the service enhancements most-frequently requested by DART riders and stakeholders alike. With the addition of public art, shelters unite creative expression with the simple dignity of protection from the elements, forming a regional canvas that celebrates community identity and mobilizes creativity to foster a sense of place, enhance accessibility and connect communities.
6th Avenue Corridor art shelters
The 6th Avenue Corridor Urban Neighborhood Main Street Program is a nationally accredited Iowa Main Street Program through the Iowa Economic Development Authority and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Stretching north for more than a mile through the historic River Bend and Cheatom Park neighborhoods of Des Moines from Interstate 235 to the Des Moines River, the 6th Avenue Corridor is one of the most racially and culturally diverse areas in the state of Iowa. The diversity of this corridor remains a driving force in the area’s revitalization and was a source of inspiration for artist Sheena Rose who sought to celebrate through her art shelter designs the sense of vibrancy, diversity and resilience that has come to define this corridor and its residents. A contemporary artist who lives and works in Barbados, Rose was selected by a jury of community and neighborhood stakeholders in partnership with the Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation.
