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June 11, 2001 |
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Wait
for taking Metro Art tours to drop by 50 percent; (Los
Angeles) The waiting period for taking MTA’s popular Metro Art group
tour of the Metro Rail system, provided free-of-charge, will be cut in
half when 26 individuals who volunteered to become docents become
accredited later this summer. The
soon-to-be docents, presently undergoing a 40-hour apprenticeship program
that takes volunteers behind the scenes of the broad range of art in the
Metro Rail system and provides insights into the artists, will be joining
the current 12-docent unit which gives two-hour tours of the art and
architecture featured at 50 light rail and subway stations. The
volunteers, who originate from all walks of life, including a doctor,
waitress, a law student and a art history major as well as several
experienced docents, were inspired by newspaper articles that ran in local
newspapers about the docent program earlier this year and the Metro Art
tours they took. Ages range from the late 20s to late 60s. “I
was very relieved and glad people were inspired by the articles,” said
MTA Docent Program Coordinator Robin Izon. “The response was
overwhelming, and the group is very diverse.” According
to Izon, the waiting period for weekday tours will drop from six weeks to
three weeks and additional weekend tours will be offered as well. The
number of tours scheduled each month will increase from five to During
the 15-week apprenticeship program, taught by the original docents,
volunteers meet the artists who created the eclectic designs that
punctuate Metro Rail stations, learn how artists were chosen for the
project, the challenges they faced, the ins-and-outs of the creative
process, and how the artwork is funded and maintained. Following
their 40-hour apprenticeship program, volunteers will lead a minimum of 12
tours a year of selected segments of the 59.4 mile system. The
50 Metro Rail stations and Gateway Transit Center feature the work of more
than 75 artists commissioned to enhance the transit system in one of the
country’s largest and most celebrated public art programs. Since
the program’s inception in August 1999, docents have led 165 tours of
various segments of Metro Rail, which translates into nearly 4,600 people.
The MTA is believed to be the first transit agency to benefit from such a
program. Free
tours for groups of 15 or more (maximum 60) are available by request. To
reserve a Metro Art guided tour, or for more information, call (213)
922-4278. MTA-087 |
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