New Audio Art Project Invites Reflection in NYC Subway Stations
New York City subway riders will experience an innovative audio art project starting October 4, 2023. Conceptual artist and lifelong New Yorker Chloë Bass has launched “if you hear something, free something,” an initiative that will feature 24 poetic announcements across 14 subway stations, including notable locations such as Grand Central, Union Square, Atlantic–Barclays, and Court Square. This marks the first collaboration of its kind with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), as it opens its public address systems to an artist-led commission.
The project has been developed in partnership with the nonprofit public arts organization Creative Time and MTA Arts & Design, the agency’s internal arts program. The audio announcements, which will be delivered in six languages, aim to gently disrupt the routine of daily commuting. Bass described the intent behind the project, stating, “These announcements ask you to consider the space around you, the people around you, and your own emotional state a little bit differently.”
Art Meets Daily Life in the Subway
Scheduled to run until October 5, 2023, the project coincides with the 40th anniversary of MTA Arts & Design. The selected stations were chosen not only for their sound systems but also for their layouts, prioritizing areas where commuters can take a moment to listen and reflect. Most announcements are approximately 30 seconds long, with some voiced by professional actors and others by local residents Bass recruited through a community casting process.
The variety in the announcements adds to their uniqueness; some sound like poetry, while others resemble casual conversations or personal narratives. Participants fluent in Spanish, Arabic, Bangla, Haitian Creole, and Mandarin Chinese had the opportunity to adapt translations to reflect the nuances of their languages, enhancing the project’s accessibility and cultural resonance.
Bass, who identifies as a “super New Yorker,” has deep family roots in the city, with ancestry tracing back to the late 19th century. She noted, “My family’s older than the subway,” referencing the subway’s inception in 1904.
A Journey of Collaboration and Innovation
The initiative emerged from a longstanding vision Bass shared with Creative Time. Upon being approached for collaboration in 2023, she was pleasantly surprised by the enthusiastic support from the MTA. The project required extensive negotiations among various departments, including arts, communications, and technical teams.
Bass spent considerable time in the MTA’s audio control room, familiarizing herself with the technical aspects of the announcement system. She emphasized the groundbreaking nature of the project, explaining, “No one has ever done this before, so that has been a large process of education for all of us, including for the MTA itself.”
To officially launch the audio art piece, Bass will stage a live performance at Fulton Center on the project’s opening day. During this event, ten performers will be strategically positioned throughout the station’s atrium, presenting the announcements in sequence for the only time. Following the performance, the announcements will sporadically integrate into the daily commute, creating a sense of discovery for those who encounter them.
Bass hopes that the experience will resonate deeply with commuters, stating, “For the people who catch it, it’ll feel, hopefully, like a secret that they’re holding.” This unique blend of art and public space aims to enrich the daily lives of New Yorkers, inviting them to pause, listen, and reflect amidst their busy routines.
