Since 2004,
Art on the Underground
Art on the Underground, previously called ''Platform for Art'', is Transport for London's (TfL) contemporary public art programme. It commissions permanent and temporary artworks for London Underground, as well as commissioning artists to create ...
has commissioned artists to create covers for
London Underground
The London Underground (also known simply as the Underground or by its nickname the Tube) is a rapid transit system serving Greater London and some parts of the adjacent ceremonial counties of England, counties of Buckinghamshire, Essex and He ...
's pocket
Tube map
The Tube map (sometimes called the London Underground map) is a schematic
A schematic, or schematic diagram, is a designed representation of the elements of a system using abstract, graphic symbols rather than realistic pictures. A schematic ...
. These free maps are one of the largest public art commissions in the UK.
Over 35 different designs have been produced, with designs from a wide variety of British and international artists. Around 2 million maps are printed for each cover, down from a high of around 12 million in the early 2010s.
In 2014, ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' published a pictorial survey of the first 10 years' designs, and ''The Londonist'' has a survey up to 2017. Between 2016 and 2018, there were also a
series of covers for
Night Tube
The Night Tube and London Overground Night Service, often referred to simply as Night Tube, is a service pattern on the London Underground ("Tube") and London Overground systems which provides through-the-night services on Friday and Saturday ni ...
.
Tube map covers
Night Tube map covers
References
{{Portal bar, Lists, London, Visual arts
Public art in London
Transport design in London
Art on the Underground Tube map covers