About “The Yellow Bus” Mural
A beautiful ArtWorks mural, designed by renowned artist Loren Long, was completed in the summer of 2024 at the Queen City Book Bank (QCBB). The mural is inspired by scenes from Long’s newest book, “The Yellow Bus”, which was released on June 25, 2024.
A team of ten ArtWorks Apprentices (high school and post-high schoolers), two Teaching Artists and a Project Manager began bringing this lively, mission-minded scene from the book to life on the wall of QCBB's headquarters in Queensgate. The mural was officially unveiled and dedicated to the public on Thursday, September 12th, 2024.
"The Yellow Bus” is about a forgotten school bus that finds joy and purpose in the most unexpected places and in the journey along the way. This incredible book is QCBB’s signature book for the 2024-25 school year and its simple, but profound, message will set the tone for an inspiring year ahead. On September 9th, the book was distributed to the 3,200 students in QCBB’s curated book distribution program this school year. This unique mural reinforces that by working together our community makes literacy a priority!
About Loren Long
Loren Long is the author and illustrator of the bestselling “Otis” picture book series, now an animated television series on Apple+. Long, a QCBB board member and a Cincinnati resident for more than three decades, has illustrated nearly 30 books and has appeared on “The New York Times” bestseller list 12 times for books such as “Of Thee I Sing” by Barack Obama, “Love” by Matt de la Peña, and “Change Sings” by Presidential Inaugural Poet Amanda Gorman.
“The Yellow Bus”, an inspiring story that underscores the transformative power of being in service to others, debuted on “The New York Times” bestseller list! QCBB is honored to be the home of Loren Long’s inspiring design and thankful to have him on their Board of Directors.
Click here to learn about Loren Long’s creative process for “The Yellow Bus” and how he was inspired while out running with his dog, Charlie!
About ArtWorks
Since 1996, ArtWorks has collaborated with community organizations and residents, businesses, governments, foundations, and nonprofits to build creative works of art that support the Greater Cincinnati region’s global reputation as an arts destination. ArtWorks has employed and trained over 3,500 professional artists and 4,000 youth, ages 14–24. Over 28 years, this collaborative approach has created a citywide gallery with more than 14,000 public and private art projects, including more than 300 permanent outdoor murals.
ArtWorks and QCBB are dedicated to collaborating with community partners to maximize impact throughout the region. This very special mural will celebrate the spirit of community and act as a reminder of opportunities for growth, promoting a sense of hope and resilience within the hearts of onlookers. In commemoration of the nation’s 250th anniversary the Ohio Commission for the U.S. Semiquincentennial (also called America 250-Ohio) will include the QCBB mural as part of their Statewide Mural Recognition Program which will be rolled out later this year and continue through 2026.
