At a time when officials are looking in many directions for solutions to transportation issues, a group of activists is suggesting more state and local leaders consider combining their planning for roads, highways and walking paths with an often-overlooked sector — art.

While some people across the Las Vegas valley can stay home, others still have to travel during the coronavirus pandemic. For those who take public transportation, following COVID-19 safety protocols are important than ever. The Regional Transportation Commission hopes by displaying art, they can inspire their riders to stay safe.

Busses are close-quarters, enclosed areas. Experts say COVID-19 can spread quickly in similar environments.

Ashley Hairston Doughty’s solo exhibition, Kept to Myself, is at the Barrick Museum at UNLV through Oct. 9. The exhibition highlights race and gender-based issues through various media, including pillows screenprinted with unsolicited comments the artist received on the streets while living in Chicago. Hairston Doughty moved to Las Vegas in June 2017 to teach art at UNLV.

This week Justin is joined by visual storyteller, Ashley Hairston Doughty. They talk about her latest exhibition, “Kept to Myself,” at the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art and the concepts behind this multidisciplinary artist’s work. Listen in as we learn about Ashley’s history, her love for teaching, and how she shares her experience as a Black woman through the art that she creates.

How’s your new normal coming along? *Listens and nods in glum sympathy* Well, good news: It’s just been enlivened by a roster of safe, sane, and socially distanced fall happenings that prove Las Vegas is a master at adaptation. Here you’ll find drive-by theater, radio read-alongs, YouTube opera, Zoom poetry, and in-person art exhibits with plenty of elbow room. Mask up, wash them germy mitts, and enjoy your 2020 fall culture guide.

Five months after closing because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art at UNLV is set to reopen on Monday with new safety procedures and new exhibitions.