The Billboard Challenge is a collaboration between Golden Artist Colors and Colorscape Chenango Arts Festival. The winning high school student's artwork will be enlarged into a billboard on Route 12. (Evening Sun graphic)

CHENANGO COUNTY— Colorscape Chenango Arts Festival organizers and Golden Artist Colors invite all Chenango County high school-aged students, including public, private, or homeschooled (age equivalent) to enter “Keep it Kind,” a contest that will lead to a winner’s artwork adorning a billboard on Route 12 from July through October in helping promote the 28th Colorscape this September.

The Billboard Challenge is a collaboration between Golden Artist Colors and Colorscape Chenango Arts Festival. Chenango County area high school art teachers are encouraged to incorporate the challenge within their curriculum or encourage their art students to independently create an original work using any media.

The image will be judged by a jury of professional artists and art educators and prize money from Golden Artist Colors will be awarded to the top five images that best depict the theme: " Keep it Kind.”

Riley Webster, a winner during the first year of the billboard challenge, had this to say about his experience “taking part in the competition was a really great opportunity to have a platform for something I was interested in.

At the time when I was making my piece, I was interested in how we interact with technology and how it can, at times, do more harm than good. The open-ended format of the competition was really exciting to me as well because I knew I could choose any medium I wanted. Overall, it was a great opportunity to get my work out there and share something I love to do with the community.”

Students may create their artwork outside the classroom. To find out more information, visit colorscape.org/contact/ call (607) 336-3378 or email director@colorscape.org.

Colorscape Chenango Arts Festival was recognized as one of the top 100 classic and contemporary craft shows in the county by Sunshine Artist Magazine, Colorscape Chenango has been celebrating premier artists in downtown Norwich since 1995.

The free, two-day festival in September features about 125 creators displaying and selling their paintings, sculptures, fabric art, fine crafts, photography, and more.

Colorscape also offers nationally renowned musical performers, poetry and literary arts, food, and interactive art activities for all ages. The 2022 Colorscape will be held rain or shine, September 10-11 in East and West Parks in Norwich.

– From Colorscape Chenango