Artist Eli Conley’s mobile project uses spectacle and storytelling to combat stigma and highlight the ongoing epidemic
Art as Public Health Intervention
Artist and community organizer Eli Conley has launched a unique mobile public art project: a fully glitter-covered school bus that tours New York State as a roving classroom and conversation space about HIV and LGBTQ+ history. The project, funded in part by a grant from the New York State Council on the Arts, aims to use spectacle and accessible storytelling to destigmatize conversations about sexual health and honor the legacy of the AIDS crisis.
Transforming a Vehicle into a Catalyst
The bus itself is a visual marvel, coated in rainbow glitter that catches sunlight and draws attention in every community it visits. Inside, the vehicle has been converted into a flexible space featuring historical archives, video installations, and comfortable seating for workshops and discussions. The bus travels to libraries, community centers, schools, and public events, particularly targeting areas with limited access to comprehensive sexual health education or LGBTQ+ resources.
Bridging Generational Knowledge Gaps
A core mission of the project is to connect historical memory with contemporary reality. For older generations, it serves as a mobile memorial and space for reflection on the trauma and activism of the 1980s and 1990s. For younger people who may view HIV as a manageable chronic condition, the bus provides crucial context about the epidemic’s devastating history and emphasizes that stigma, disparities in care, and new infections persist. This aligns with public health goals outlined by the U.S. Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative.
Workshop Curriculum and Community Dialogue
The onboard programming is multifaceted. Workshops cover topics like “U=U” (Undetectable = Untransmittable), the history and importance of PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis), and the intersection of HIV with racial and economic justice. Storytelling sessions invite long-term survivors to share their experiences, while art-making activities allow participants to process complex emotions. The bus also distributes free safer sex supplies and informational pamphlets from local health departments.
Navigating Political and Social Landscapes
The article notes the project’s particular relevance in the current political climate, where LGBTQ+ rights and comprehensive sex education are under renewed attack in many legislatures. By operating as a state-funded arts project with an explicit public health mission, the Glitter Bus represents a bold model of cross-sector collaboration. It also faces logistical challenges, from securing local permits to ensuring the safety of facilitators and participants in less welcoming areas.
A Model for Radical Public Engagement
Conley’s project demonstrates how public art can move beyond galleries to perform urgent community work. By meeting people where they are–literally and figuratively–the Glitter Bus bypasses institutional barriers to health information. Its success is measured not in ticket sales but in difficult conversations started, misconceptions corrected, and connections forged across generations. As it continues its tour, the project offers a shimmering, hopeful testament to the power of creativity in the ongoing fight for health equity and historical remembrance.
