The winning high school student's artwork will be enlarged into a billboard on Route 12 north of Norwich from July through October. (Sun graphic)

NORWICH – Colorscape Chenango Arts Festival organizers and Golden Artist Colors have announced a Billboard Challenge for Chenango County high school-aged students called "Art Can Change the World," a contest that will lead to a winner's artwork adorning a billboard on Route 12 from July through October in helping promote the 25th Colorscape this September.

Colorscape organizers said they hope to have at least 20 applications for the contest by the end of February to move forward with the Billboard Challenge. Applicants will be asked to create an original two-dimensional work, using any media, that is 12 inches in height and 25 inches in length.

The top five finalists in the challenge will receive gift certificates of $250 for art supplies from Golden Artist Colors, and the winner's artwork will be enlarged into a 12 foot tall by 25 foot wide billboard on Route 12 north of Norwich from July through October of this year.

Colorscape Chenango Arts Festival Board President Melissa deCordova said, “Colorscape’s strategic development volunteers, meeting last year, came up with the idea to commemorate the 25th anniversary festival with some sort of arts education endeavor.

"That idea evolved into approaching Golden Artist Colors for their professional input, which eventually became a competition for the creation of a promotional billboard featuring an image designed by a Chenango County high school student."