MTA Arts for Transit
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The realization that the experience of using the subway and railroad stations could be made more enriching came early in New York City's transit history, beginning in 1904 with the first subway. More recently the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Arts for Transit program, established in 1985, has developed over one hundred and twenty public art projects with seventy-five in progress as part of the MTA's Capital Program which builds and revitalizes stations. Many of the art projects strive to reflect the diversity, local values, and daily life of the communities in which they are found. These installations not only allow the viewer to escape, albeit momentarily, the daily commute, but also give stations greater identity while enhancing the travel experience. The project is creating what program director Sandra Bloodworth has described as "a horizontal museum." Arts for Transit stations include those of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the Long Island Railroad, and the Metro-North Railroad.