2026 Art by Bus
Roanoke Area Writers & Storytellers: Apply to be our 2026 Writer by Bus!
Applications are now open for the 2026 Writer by Bus—a component of Art by Bus, a collaborative initiative that honors public transit, community, and creativity throughout the Roanoke Valley.
As the Writer by Bus, you will have the opportunity to ride Valley Metro routes in the spring and craft a short, family-friendly original work inspired by the diverse people, neighborhoods, and stories you come across. This work will be released in September 2026 and shared with the community.
Due date: Thursday, March 5, 2026, by midnight.
Why Art By Bus?
Public transportation is one of the few features of our region that touches every part of a community. Buses travel through every neighborhood; get people from home, to work, to the doctor, to the grocery store; they serve every age, every race, ever income level. A bus trip will take you through parts of your community you may have never seen before and introduce you to people you never would have the opportunity to meet.
By putting art on the buses, we want to remind people that taking public transportation is making a choice about how you spend your time. You can fight with traffic, or you can close your eyes and listen to music. You can spend money on gas, or you can pay your fare and enjoy a book. Public transportation is an opportunity to have experiences, not just an alternative way to commute. Plus, it’s a way to bring art into all of our neighborhoods for people who may not otherwise have a chance to experience all the culture the region has to offer.
2025 Art by Bus Highlights
The 2025 Art by Bus features “The Wheels on the Bus” by local writer and illustrator Joe Lee. This is the first ever comic book style Art by Bus edition!
Joe Lee crafted a captivating comic that celebrates bus riding and the beauty of Roanoke.
The Roanoke City Art’s Commission, Valley Metro, and the Regional Commission continue to demonstrate their commitment to enriching community spaces through the arts and fostering a more inclusive and
vibrant urban environment.
2024 Writer by Bus Highlights
2024 Writer by Bus project featured published poet and freelance writer, Lindsey Smith Hull, with her chapbook the mountain rumble.
The cover of the chapbook features the “Untitle Abstract, 1985” by Artist and Professor Emeritus, Ray Kass.
Past Art by Bus Campaigns
Visual Arts
Visual Arts
Working with the City of Roanoke’s Arts Commission, we selected different pieces from the City’s collection to reproduce on the exterior of four Valley Metro buses and to be featured as covers of the annual chapbooks.
“The Wheels on the Bus” by Jew Lee
“Untitled Abstract, 1985” by Ray Kass
“Let Your Mind Be Creative” by J.C. Stallings
“Wishes” by JM Lamb
“Lipes” By Ann Glover
“Path Through The Dunes” By Peyton Kline
Writing
2025 Writer by Bus – Joe Lee
Joe Lee is an artist, cartoonist, author, and illustrator.
His books on Dante, Greek mythology, and the history of clowns were published by For Beginners Publishing (where he has also illustrated another thirteen titles for their ongoing series). In 2015, U.S. Games published his deck The LeGrande Circus & Sideshow Tarot. He has exhibited a graphic novel on the theme of Creation with the Religion & Spirituality in the Arts Seminar in conjunction with the Christian Theological Seminary and Butler University in Indianapolis (2016).
He has exhibited “Professor Animalia’s Menagerie of Struggling Species,” a collaboration of paintings with his wife Bess shown in Bloomington, Indiana, with the Blueline Gallery (2018), the Harrison Art Center in Indianapolis (2019), and the Arts Alliance Center in Bloomington (2023). He exhibited “Egg” at Untitled Light Gallery in Bloomington (2019) and “The Artist and Other Animals” at the By Hand Gallery in Bloomington (2023). Joe has also written and illustrated a graphic biography of Eva Nor, Survivor of the Auschwitz Twin Experiments published by Red Lightning Books in 2021.
Joe has contributed illustration and articles to a wide variety of periodicals and was the editorial cartoonist for the Bloomington Herald-Times for 20 years. He is currently the staff illustrator for Our Brown County Magazine and is a frequent contributor to Bloom Magazine.
He is also a former circus clown. He graduated from Ringling Bros. Clown College and travelled with several circuses. When he’s not at the drawing board, Joe still performs in his one-clown shows the “Cirque du Jolais” and “Jungle Joe’s Flea Circus.”
Joe recently moved to Roanoke with his wife Bess (a native and happy returnee) and George, the indomitable Rat Terrier. His son Brandon remains in Hoosierland. He can be reached at joelee@bluemarble.net
Previous Years Chapbooks
2024: The Mountains Rumble – Lindsey Hull
2023: Sonder by Eva Lynch-Comer
2019: Dandelion Wishes – Lucy Marcus
2018: Walking Man’s Best Friend – Tim Thornton
2017: 30 Minute Neighborhood – Sherry Dragovich
Music
Music
RIDE Solutions is excited to announce the 2019 Starline Trolley Performance Series. Back for the 6th straight year, with more musicians, more performances, and more opportunities to explore Roanoke transit alternatives, we welcome the return of all of last year’s performers as well as a couple of special performances by artists from 5 Points Music Sanctuary!
- Erin and Joy- Celtic, folk
- Erin Hunter (Violin)
- Joy Truskowski (Guitar/vocals)
- Mojo Sauce Hornsmen– Jazz, funk
- Justin Pinckney (Saxophone)
- John Stump (Trumpet)
- Ernie Freeman (Trumpet)
- Carla & Brad – Folk/Rock/Americana
- Carla Nelson (Guitar)
- Brad Collier (Guitar)
- Beren & Lúthien – Traditional Celtic
- Julie Borden (Bodhran)
- Josh Kinn (Bouzouki)
