Ride With an Artist Day

Ride with an Artist Day Returns to TANK Buses on August 20th!

Pones, TANK, and ArtsWave Partnership Transforms Public Transit into
a Moving Stage for Creativity and Community

Enter To Win!

Please fill out this brief (three question) survey and be entered to win 1 of 5 prizes!

Prizes include: tickets to The Carnegie, TANK day passes, a Kroger gift card and merch from TANK, free entrance to the Behringer Crawford Museum, a gift card to Roebling Books and Coffee, and more.

Featured Performances

Throughout the day, riders may encounter artists across several TANK routes, including:

Route 2X (Amazon Air/Airport) – Pones dancers, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Route 25 (interlined with Route 1) – Pones dancers, 1:00–2:00 p.m.
Route 1 (Dixie Highway Corridor: Cincinnati–Florence) – Live music featuring Preston Bell Charles III and Nick Rose, 2:00–3:00 p.m.
Route 7 (Madison Avenue/Latonia, Covington) – Live music featuring Siri Imani and Jess Lamb, 4:00–5:00 p.m.
Bus #2238 on Routes 7 & 12 from 5:27am – 3:31pm, featuring the artwork of Lindsey Whittle and Radha Lakshmi
Bus #2237 on Routes 5 & 8 from 4:45am – 2:26pm, featuring the artwork of Emily Moores
Bus #2235 on Routes 1 & 25 from 3:56am – 1:34pm, “Flux Bus” featuring the artwork of Devan Horton and Ethan Machell:

Welcome to Flux Bus
Where we shift between spaces
Putting the human into nature
In unlikely places

Life, Death, and the Next
Transitions can be uncertain
But necessary for forward motion
One flower dies
Another opens
Yesterday’s trash holds seeds for tomorrow’s garden
And one drop of water can turn into an ocean

It just takes time to grow.

This installation was created using botanical dyes, donated fibers, and sculpted packaging. By mixing the elements of nature with discarded items, problems of the past transform into vessels of the future.

Take your own packet of native wild flower seeds to sow the Next!

On Thursday, August 20th from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., commuters across Northern Kentucky are invited to experience their daily ride in an entirely new way during Ride with an Artist Day, presented by Pones in partnership with TANK (Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky) and made possible through funding from the ArtsWave NKY Placemaking Grant. This one-day creative placemaking event transforms public transit into a space for joy, connection, and belonging through free performances and artistic encounters on buses, at transit hubs, and along neighborhood routes.

A decade after their original collaboration, Pones and TANK are partnering again to bring multidisciplinary arts directly to the community. As a dance company dedicated to bringing people together through movement, Pones transforms everyday public spaces into places for creativity and human connection.

Installation Artists

Dancers

Musicians

Past Ride with an Artist Day performances demonstrated the impact of bringing the arts directly to riders. One participant said, “I don’t care if I miss my stop, I’m going to stay on the whole time you all are on.” A TANK driver recalled, “I looked in the rearview mirror and people were smiling and nodding their heads to the beat.” These moments highlight public transit’s potential as a cultural gathering space.

The expanded program brings artists to multiple TANK routes across Northern Kentucky, with performances and installations inspired by the communities they serve, including dance, live music, and visual art. “We’re excited to once again welcome local artists aboard TANK buses, bringing creativity, energy, and unexpected moments of joy to our riders,” said Jenny Kammes, Marketing Manager for TANK. “These performances transform the everyday commute into a unique community experience while celebrating the incredible talent found throughout our region.” Pones dancer Alexandra Leurck added, “I’m all about immersive public art that lifts the spirits of everyone involved. Activating space with art builds support and appreciation for one another.”

The initiative also removes barriers to arts participation. Many TANK riders – including older adults, young adults, people from low-income households, and communities of color – face obstacles to attending traditional arts venues because of cost, transportation, or unfamiliarity. By bringing performances directly onto buses, the project makes the arts part of everyday life. This project intends to spread the Pones vision of art for EVERY body. For one afternoon, riders won’t just travel from one place to another, they will become part of a moving celebration of Northern Kentucky’s creativity.

Thank You to the businesses who donated our giveaway items: TANK, The Carnegie, Roebling Books and Coffee, and Behringer-Crawford Museum.