Experience C-U offers mobile passport to highlight local art

Simmy Wood
·2 min read

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Experience Champaign-Urbana recently launched an “Art in CU” mobile passport to reward users for viewing public art works in the area.

The pass includes 200 pieces, ranging from murals to sculptures that can be found in local parks, urban districts, and the University of Illinois campus. Once users gain access to the pass, they can check in while visiting an art piece and earn points for prizes. Participants who visit 50 locations can receive either a T-shirt, sweatshirt, hat, or tote from the Chambana Proud store.

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Passport sign-up is free, and it is not an app. To sign up, visit experiencecu.org/experience-passes. The Art in CU passport will then be automatically sent to your smartphone, and can even be saved to your home screen.

From there, you can search for local art locations and your phone’s GPS will allow you to check into a nearby public art displays.

“Wherever you are in our region, there is public art on display,” said Terri Reifsteck, Vice
President of Marketing and Community Engagement for Experience C-U. “We often get asked for maps to public art, so we’re excited to launch this passport with 200 pieces across the Champaign-Urbana area. We hope it gets people outdoors and exploring different areas in our community.”

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Reifsteck added that the passport is limited to 200 stops, and there are many more pieces around the community that will get rotated in based on user activity.

“This passport is only possible because of the work done by the Public Art League, 40 North, the
Urbana Arts & Culture Program, the Urbana Park District, and our immensely talented local artists,” Reifsteck said. “We’re fortunate to have so many stunning pieces adorning our landscape.”

To view a full list of public art in the area, visit Experience C-U’s website.

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