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Bike Blast!: Artists, Educators "Gearing Up" for New Public Art Project
Omaha's green movement is about to become a bit more colorful and energized thanks to a dynamic new public art project. A group of bicycle enthusiasts, local artists and educators is spearheading the Omaha Metro Bike Blast, a three-part endeavor slated for launch in spring 2009. Organizers hope the project will encourage bike riding for better well-being and a healthier global environment, while beautifying the city and promoting public art.
One part of the project will team two neighborhood groups of Omaha children (ages 10-14) with local artists. They will prep, design and paint a donated bike over the course of three Saturday workshops. A fourth workshop will cover bike safety. The kids will "officially" receive their flashy new bikes at the Cinco de Mayo parade in south Omaha on Saturday, May 2.
"I think we're going to have plenty of bikes for the kids," said Eddith Buis, local artist/teacher and Bike Blast manager. Boys Town and the Omaha Community Bicycle Shop in Midtown's Gifford Park neighborhood donated the bikes for the "Paint-a-Bike" project. Area bike technicians are volunteering their time to refurbish those rides.
Part two of Bike Blast shifts from "Paint-a-Bike" to "Design-a-Bike Rack," a public art concept first proposed by Dr. David Corbin, a professor of health and physical education at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He said a former member of the band "Talking Heads" inspired him.
"When David Byrne was coming here to give a concert, I read that he created artistic bike racks in New York City," said Corbin. "I wrote to Eddith (Buis) and asked, 'Do you think we could do something here?'"
Bike Blast marks the fourteenth public art project in which Buis has been involved. She brought in artist, educator and studio owner Les Bruning to help. With the wheels in motion, the Bike Blast team is now looking for artists/welders to design and embellish bike racks to be installed at sponsored locations citywide. Interested artists/welders may submit up to three designs. For entry specifics, check out the Bike Blast Web site. Buis said artists will "design as many racks as we can get sponsorships."
Those "Park It - Bike Rack Sponsorships" are part three of the Bike Blast project. Area businesses or individuals can sponsor an embellished bike rack for $600, including installation.
"We hope when we get some out there, people will say, 'Those are really cool. I'd like to have one in front of my business.' Then, it will be the businesses assuming the cost of the bike rack in front of their establishment," said Corbin.
"So many things set Midtown up to be a perfect location for this project," said Jamie Grayson-Berglund, executive director of Destination Midtown. "Healthy living and public art are strongly supported by our business and residential community - it just adds to everyone's quality of life. Plus, with over 1,100 small and large businesses employing more than 34,000 people and over 27,000 residents living in our active neighborhoods, the sheer number of people living, working, shopping and playing in Destination Midtown's 3.6 square mile area is mind-boggling. It's this kind of density that can support multi-modal transportation efforts. Also, the soon-to-be-built 20-mile bike loop that will partially go through the Midtown area makes Bike Blast a great fit for Midtown."
The ambitious Bike Blast project began with the idea of the custom-designed bike racks. It evolved from there.
"We kind of opened it up to any idea we thought would work and that people were willing to work on," said Corbin.
In addition to "Paint-a-Bike" and "Design-a-Bike Rack," Corbin is also working to implement a bike share program at UNO. It would allow students to borrow a bike for a spin around campus. The bike share program is furthest out in the plans, but the other parts of the Bike Blast program are full speed ahead.
"We hope to build a stronger, healthier community by working together - combining the efforts of artists, students and community volunteers," said Buis.
"Paint-a-Bike" workshops will be held in Midtown Omaha at First Central Congregational Church, 421 S. 36th St., starting in early April and in South Omaha at 10th and Bancroft streets starting in late March. Right now, Bike Blast organizers have enough grant funding to cover the $1,800 South Omaha workshop. (The South Omaha Main Street Historic District donated $1,000; a mini-grant from the Service Learning Academy at UNO provided $800.) They have submitted additional grant requests to cover the workshop in Midtown.
View the Bike Blast brochure.
View the Design-a-Bike Rack Entry Form.
For more information about the Bike Blast project, to volunteer or become a rack sponsor, check out the Web site.