Moving Stories: Short-Form Graphic Novels for King County Metro Transit RapidRide
A cohort of six artists will be commissioned to create two original short-form graphic novels each, illustrating stories from communities along Metro’s twelve existing and planned RapidRide bus lines (A–K and R).
Steps to Apply
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About the Project
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About the Project
Budget
$54,000 per artist, inclusive of research, engagement, content development, regional travel, WA Sales/Use Tax, and other applicable taxes.
- $49,000 for the development of two RapidRide line-specific short-form graphic novels, including:
- Place-based research and community engagement
- Story development
- Creation of visual narratives and delivery of production-ready files to spec
- $5,000 for time dedicated to:
- Cohort, advisory, and graphic design meetings
- Participation in a limited number of promotional and outreach activities
- Travel, as needed
Note: Production and distribution of Moving Stories and associated promotional media will be funded separately. However, artists will be expected to actively participate in collaborative planning, formatting, and design refinement, as well as public presentation of the collection—including social media outreach and in-person events. RapidRide line assignments will be determined after selection.
Opportunity
King County, WA is experiencing unprecedented population growth. To meet the increasing demand for high-quality public transit service, Metro is undertaking a major expansion of its RapidRide system—an arterial bus rapid transit network serving key corridors throughout the region.
In partnership with Metro, 4Culture is seeking six artists to create a total of twelve short-form graphic novels—each inspired by the communities, histories, and landscapes that define the existing and planned RapidRide lines, A–K and R.
Envisioned as a highly collaborative effort, the Moving Stories project will bring together artists as a cohort and connect them with advisors and resources that support place-based research and relationship-building. Insights from this research, along with community engagement activities, will guide the artistic development of each story, which will be professionally designed and published as a collection. Both the individual, line-specific stories and a collectible set (box or alternative format) will be distributed free of charge to transit riders—6,000 copies in total—creating up to 500 complete sets, with the option for additional print runs if demand warrants. Translated versions in multiple languages will be made available for digital download, and excerpts will appear in on-board ad spaces across RapidRide buses and be promoted through social media and other public platforms.
Each short-form graphic novel should illuminate community stories and histories, convey a strong sense of place, and inspire transit riders to engage more deeply with the unique identities of the areas they travel through. Selected artists will work with 4Culture, Metro, fellow cohort members, professional advisors, and the project’s graphic designer to shape their visual narratives. Together, they will form a unified collection that reflects the cultural and geographic diversity of King County’s bus rapid transit corridors.
This is a unique opportunity for individual artists working in illustrative storytelling, cartooning, comics, and related visual media. No prior public art experience is required, and artists with ties to the RapidRide lines are strongly encouraged to apply.
Selected artists will not be expected to conform to a specific style or aesthetic but will need to follow basic content guidelines to ensure their work is appropriate for diverse public audiences and cohesive within the larger collection. Because format, trim size, and layout specifications will be determined collaboratively, artists should expect to develop a story roughly equivalent in pacing and complexity to a 16–32 page publication.
Artists will be responsible for delivering high-quality digital files that meet technical specifications established by the graphic designer who, in coordination with the larger team and under the guidance of 4Culture, will oversee production of final printed materials and associated media. All print production and distribution costs will be covered by the project.
Moving Stories draws inspiration from the RapidRide Art Plan, created by Johnson|Ramirez (Elisheba (Johnson) Wokoma + Kristen Ramirez) and illustrated by Aaron Bagley. In that visionary document, they describe the RapidRide bus as “a traveler, seeing all our uniqueness,” and as a vehicle for connection—both literal and symbolic.
They write: “Art can facilitate this [connection] through the construct of the bus, a space that moves through neighborhoods, communities, and cities.” For Johnson|Ramirez, each station is a marker of memory, and each line “a map of community.” The expansion of RapidRide is thus framed not just as infrastructure, but as an expansion of our shared relationships—“our connection to each other and the places that we need.”
As they further note, “Our ability to dream and imagine are connected to each other. Our experiences in shared public space directly link us to each other. So if the bus is a public space, a moving community, then it can be the beginning of how we revise how we interact and exist with each other. This is where the ‘pedagogy of kindness’ begins… our belief as artists that the bus is a place and space where kindness can begin and thrive in our Metro community and further—in our very humanity.” By transforming transit into a cultural platform, public art becomes a means of honoring presence, place, and lived experience.
This project is rooted in those values: kindness, meeting people where they are, and fostering connection through shared spaces. The complete collection of Moving Stories—representing all RapidRide lines operating or planned through 2030—is intended as a gift to riders and the broader public. It is offered in that same spirit of generosity and is inspired by the opening words of the RapidRide Art Plan: “We hope you find comfort here.”
Background
4Culture + King County Metro Transit
4Culture is King County’s cultural services agency. Through five integrated program areas—Arts, Heritage, Historic Preservation, Public Art, and Science + Technology—4Culture supports cultural vitality and the assets that make communities vibrant, distinctive, and authentic. Public Art 4Culture ensures that artists’ work and ideas are present in the built environment by commissioning art for shared public spaces, stewarding the King County Public Art Collection, and offering a range of consulting services.
King County Metro is the region’s largest public transportation agency, providing bus, paratransit, vanpool, and water taxi services, and serving as an operating partner for the Seattle Streetcar and Sound Transit bus and light rail services.
4Culture and Metro have a long-standing partnership in public art. For many years, 4Culture commissioned permanent artworks at transit centers, park-and-rides, and bus bases. Since 2009, this work has evolved toward more temporary, participatory, and narrative-based projects—such as a line-specific soundscape and mobile game, the multi-lingual Poetry on Buses program (now Poetry in Public), and the internationally recognized mural corridor, SODO Track. In 2020, the artist team Johnson|Ramirez created the RapidRide Art Plan, a visionary framework for integrating art across the expanded RapidRide network—centering imagination, stillness, comfort, and care as public values.
Why RapidRide? Why Now?
Metro’s mission is to provide the best possible public transportation service while improving mobility and quality of life. To meet the demands of a rapidly growing region, Metro is expanding its RapidRide network to twelve lines by 2030—serving high-ridership corridors, historically underserved communities, and areas of strategic growth. RapidRide represents Metro’s highest level of investment in bus service, amenities, reliability, and innovation, making it a powerful platform for meaningful public engagement.
Service Areas
Existing RapidRide lines include:
- A Line: Tukwila International Boulevard Station, Federal Way Transit Center
- B Line: Redmond, Overlake, Crossroads, and Bellevue
- C Line: South Lake Union, Downtown Seattle, West Seattle, Alaska Junction, Fauntleroy, and Westwood Village
- D Line: Crown Hill, Ballard, Interbay, Uptown, and Downtown Seattle
- E Line: Aurora Village Transit Center, Shoreline, Bitter Lake, West Green Lake, and Downtown Seattle
- F Line: Burien Transit Center, SeaTac, Tukwila International Blvd Station, Tukwila Sounder Station, Renton Transit Center, and The Landing
- G Line: Madison Valley, Capitol Hill, First Hill, and Downtown Seattle
- H Line: Burien, White Center, Westwood Village, Delridge, and Downtown Seattle
Future RapidRide lines include:
- I Line: Renton Transit Center, Kent Transit Center, and Auburn Station
- J Line: University District, Eastlake, South Lake Union, and Belltown
- K Line: Totem Lake Transit Center, downtown Kirkland, downtown Bellevue, and the Eastgate Park-and-Ride
- R Line: Chinatown-International District, Mount Baker, Columbia City, Hillman City, Brighton, and Dunlap
Additional Information
4Culture Public Art
King County Metro Transit
RapidRide Art Plan
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Timeline
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Timeline
Selection Timeline*
| Application Release | Tuesday, December 2, 2025 |
| Applicant Info Session | Tuesday, December 16, 2025 |
| Application Deadline | Tuesday, January 13, 2026 |
| Selection Panel Meeting | Friday, February 27, 2026 |
| Finalist Orientation** | Tuesday, March 4, 2026 |
| Finalist Interviews** | Friday, March 13, 2026 |
| Notification of Results | Monday, March 16, 2026 |
Project Timeline*
| Contracts Issued | March–April 2026 |
| Research/Community Engagement/Design | April 2026–April 2027 |
|
Artist Cohort Gathering #1 (in person) |
May 27–29, 2026 TBD |
| Artist Cohort Gathering #2 (in person) | March 2027 TBD |
| Print Production | May–June 2027 |
| Distribution & Outreach | July–September 2027 |
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Are You Eligible?
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Are You Eligible?
This opportunity is open to individual artists working in illustrative storytelling, cartooning, comics, and related visual media who reside in Washington or Oregon. No prior public art experience is required. Artists with ties to communities served by—or located along—RapidRide lines are strongly encouraged to apply.
Six artists will be commissioned; each will create visual narratives for two RapidRide lines. Some components of the work—such as community engagement and cohort gatherings—will take place in person, while others may be completed remotely.
Individuals with potential conflicts of interest, including King County employees; 4Culture staff, Board, and Public Art Advisory Committee (PAAC) members; and their immediate family members or business partners, are not eligible to apply.
Selection Criteria
Finalists will be selected based on the following criteria:
- Artistic merit, as demonstrated through submitted examples of past work.
- Ability to develop both illustration and light narrative content for short-form graphic novels, and to deliver digital files that meet technical specifications for print production and related media (e.g., interior bus cards, exterior transit ads).
- Demonstrated ability and willingness to collaborate with other artists, community and agency partners, and design professionals.
- Engagement with the RapidRide Art Plan and Moving Stories values, including rest as comfort, collective healing, public imagination, acts of kindness, and place-based cultural memory; as well as an interest in researching the natural, cultural, and social histories of King County.
- Strong communication skills as well as interest and aptitude in storytelling and community engagement.
- Commitment to equity and social justice and the ability to create artworks that are respectful of local context within culturally and economically diverse communities.
- Capacity to meet deadlines and adhere to the project timeline, with artistic development and community outreach beginning in April 2026 and initial concept reviews in fall 2026.
Selection Process
A five-person panel—comprised of artists, arts professionals, community partners, and Metro staff—will review all submitted application materials, identify finalists for interviews, and recommend six artists for commission.
Finalists will be invited to a virtual orientation session where they will have the opportunity to learn more about the project and ask questions directly of Metro and 4Culture representatives prior to their interview.
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How to Apply
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How to Apply
Submission of an online application is required for this opportunity.
Please contact us with any questions—we encourage you to begin your application early.
ACCOUNT SET-UP
4Culture’s application system will be used for this process. You may be required to create a new account. Once you submit your account request, a 4Culture staff member will manually activate it during office hours, Mondays –Fridays 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM. You will receive a follow-up email within 2 business days with your username and a temporary password. We appreciate your patience and ask that you keep an eye out for this confirmation.
DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
Your applicant profile must be updated with current demographic information. This helps us understand how well we’re reaching all communities.
PROFILE
Contact information.
STATEMENT OF INTEREST
A written statement (500 words or less) explaining your interest in this opportunity and how your background in visual storytelling, knowledge of public transit, and/or connection to RapidRide communities may inform your approach. Refer to the selection criteria. Please do not submit a proposal as part of your application.
RÉSUMÉ
Upload a current professional résumé (maximum two pages). Keep formatting simple. PDFs are preferred; .txt files are also accepted.
Some suggested items to include in your artist résumé include:
- Contact information – At the top of each page, include your name, address, phone number, email address and web URL.
- Education – List all academic degrees earned. Also include periods of study at schools or universities attended without completing a degree.
- Exhibitions – List the title of the exhibition, the exhibition venue, and the city/state where the exhibition was presented. Please indicate if it was a solo, two-person, or group exhibition.
- Professional experience – You may also consider listing experience that is relevant to your art practice such as teaching, lectures and artist residencies.
- Honors and awards – List awards, grants, fellowships or other recognitions of merit.
- Bibliography – List books, magazines, newspapers, and catalogues that reference your work.
WORK SAMPLES
Submit 10 samples of past work that best represent your qualifications for this opportunity.
Work samples 1–8 must be digital images. Work samples 9–10 may be either digital images or publicly accessible URLs that link to PDFs of short-form visual storytelling samples.
Each work sample requires a brief description (75 words or less) that includes, as applicable: project title, date, location, commissioning agency, budget, partners, photo credit, copyright owner, and a concise summary of the scope, intention, and outcome.
Digital Images – Upload JPG files only; 1920 pixels on the longest side (suggested), at least 72 dpi, and less than 2 MB in size.
Visual Narratives (optional for samples 9–10) – Submit up to 2 URLs linking to PDFs (via Google Drive or Dropbox) that feature examples of your short-form visual storytelling. Each PDF may be up to 4 pages. Applicants must provide a publicly accessible URL and ensure link settings allow anyone with the link to view.
DEADLINE
Applications must be received no later than 4:00 PM PST on Tuesday, January 13, 2026. Please allow ample time to complete and upload your application; submissions will not be accepted after the deadline.
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Helping You Succeed
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Helping You Succeed
Info Session
All applicants are invited to a virtual information session on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, from 1:00-2:00 PM PST.
Please register in advance via Zoom. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with instructions for joining the meeting.
The session will be recorded. If you are unable to attend and would like to view the recording, please contact Fiona Dang: .
Contact Us
Please reach out to us with any questions. Note that the 4Culture offices will be closed from December 22-26, 2025.
Technical questions regarding the application:
Conceptual questions regarding the opportunity:
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