A local artist is mentoring and bringing creativity to children in Charlotte’s city-designated low-income Corridors of Opportunity through a converted school bus. The "Underground Art Bus" aims to ensure children have extracurricular activities — but the project faces challenges, especially when it comes to power.
At the VAPA Visual and Performing Arts Center in uptown, a yellow school bus with patches of white paint sits in the parking lot. Inside the bus, children's handprints are plastered, and a bird portrait sits in the corner. The bus belongs to 60-year-old Charlotte artist Bunny Gregory.
The African American artist bought the bus to ensure children in disadvantaged communities, including predominantly Black neighborhoods such as Beatties Ford Road where she grew up, have access to the arts. Although Gregory has been able to provide some children with that opportunity, she has faced challenges maintaining the bus over the recent years.
“I didn’t have dedicated power, so I always had to run cords through the bus or a fan to keep it cool or try to keep it warm when it's cold,” Gregory said. "If we're doing anything with glue guns, we have to have someone allow us to plug into their power source. I want to be able to pull at parks and just random places where I don't have to rely on someone else's power source."
Sol Nation, a nonprofit that focuses on climate issues, stepped in to support Gregory, who had plans to end the project and sell the bus after becoming overwhelmed by managing costs such as insurance, maintenance, and art supplies.
Gregory has had the bus for about four years. She stepped in and bought it, then began renovating and installing electrical outlets. To ensure the “Underground Art Bus” continues to run, Gregory and Sol Nation hope to raise about $4,000 to add solar panels and make the bus self-sufficient for her and the children she supports in the community.
“I have found places to plug in and then been told I was not allowed to after I’ve already planned an event,” Gregory said. "It’s disappointing to me and the kids.”
Gregory and Sol Nation have launched a fundraiser to raise money for the solar panels. So far, $605 of the targeted $4,000 has been raised.
With community support, Gregory hopes to meet that goal and cover the cost of the panels. Any additional funds will go toward supplies such as drawing materials and gas to help “The Underground Art Bus” visit communities like Beatties Ford Road up to four times a week to bring art to children.
