Art On Track Turns Chicago Metro Trains Into Mobile Art Galleries

We’ve reported before on food on subways, whether it’s a virtual supermarket on the platform or a slow food meal service on the train itself. But subway art is a thing of beauty, isn’t it? And Chicago’s subway system is the latest site of such an initiative.

Created in 2008 by students at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Art on Track is basically a mobile art gallery that allows local artists to transform an entire train car on Chicago’s busy subway system. The cars are given out to curated artists for free, so that the artist worries less about budget and more about the implementation of an idea.

“Once aboard the train, passengers in the gallery are encouraged to explore and engage with the artists and artwork. The train will circle the ‘Loop’ elevated track in downtown Chicago, making stops for people to switch between train cars at the Adams/Wabash (the main entrance), Washington/Wells, Quincy/Wells, and Randolph/Wabash train stations.”

The fifth Art on Track festival took place last Saturday between 5 and 10 PM, and presented work of six groups of artists, including a few returning participants.

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