Written by Pam Agedah, Staff Writer

For most of us, an enormous trash bin is not where we go to look for art.  But that is soon to change here in Valdosta.

The City of Valdosta and Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts is inviting artists to participate in a project for the 2016 Georgia Cities Week. Every year in April, the state of Georgia has Georgia Cities Week celebrating the community.

Sementha Mathews, the public information officer for the city, wanted to try a different approach for this year’s Cities Week. So she began brainstorming ideas.

“I wanted to do something different, artsy, and I started brainstorming and I saw online some dumpster art, and I contacted Mainstream and they were on board and the project began,” Mathews said.

Artists all over Valdosta are being given the opportunity to submit their conceptual designs for how to decorate Valdosta’s public dumpsters.  A team of judges will select three designs that will for the dumpsters that will then be showcased.

“Dumpsters aren’t exactly pretty to look at but, it is a necessity, so by giving artists the opportunity to design it you, make something that is a necessity also beautiful,” said Mathews.

“There’s a project team that includes one person from the office, the city, the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts, Valdosta Lowndes County Development Authority. The team is still being put together,” said Mathews.

The criterion for designs is something that reflects the City of Valdosta without any negative content.

“Art that reflects unique landmarks, art speaking to Valdosta, pure art that is attractive,” she said.

The Dumpster Art will be on display for a full year, and if it is successful, might return again next year. The project is open to the public, so anyone can send in a design.

“There’s an artist in everyone. ‘Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.’ If someone has a passion, they don’t need to be professional,” she said.

For more information, visit valdostacity.com/dumpster-art. The deadline for submissions is Friday.