TRANSITional Art Project: Rahway Rail Station Exterior Fiber Art

NJ TRANSIT and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts are soliciting submissions from fiber and textile artists for a temporary art installation at the Rahway Rail Station in Rahway, New Jersey. The selected artist or artist team will create artwork for the archways of the exterior facade at the station, located at 1 Billings Place. This exhibition will be unveiled in late September 2025 and remain on view throughout the Fall.

Eligibility is limited to current residents of New Jersey living in central counties (Union, Somerset, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, or Hunterdon). Applicants must be at least 18 years old. Preferential consideration will be given to artists with a strong connection to the Rahway community. Artists are invited to explore themes related to Rahway's industrial roots and innovative spirit. The selected artist or team will receive an $8,000 stipend to cover project costs, travel, supplies, and artistic fees. NJ TRANSIT will provide technical support for installation, but the artist must coordinate with the NJ Transit team. The artwork must be durable for 3-6 months of public display and appropriate for a transit space, excluding images depicting violence, nudity, or sexual content.

Submissions must be made through www.callforentry.org (CAFE) and include 4-8 images of previously completed work (1 optional video), a brief artist statement with community connection if applicable, a current artist bio (250 words or less), and a narrative proposal (no more than 2 pages) describing the design idea and specifications. The Selection Committee will evaluate proposals based on artistic quality, appropriateness to the site, durability and material quality, public safety, innovation in fiber art techniques, ability to collaborate with the project team, and capacity to complete work within the established timeline. Artists selected will have 4-6 weeks for final design iteration and approval after notification. Project installation is scheduled for mid-September 2025.