ArtPop 2018 Billboard Competition in US turns the spotlight on local artists

The just concluded 4th annual ArtPop Billboard Competition presented by US OOH major Adams Outdoor Advertising and the nonprofit ArtsQuest had a colourful underwater landscape by a high school senior and a 3D CGI/digital work by an 18-year-old, self-taught 2D/3D designer highlight the eight winning works. The winning artists, selected via a juried competition, will have their work displayed on Adams Outdoor Advertising billboards on major thoroughfares in the region from the week of January 8 through the end of December 2018.

“We are overwhelmed with the incredible number of local artists who submitted their artwork this year,” says Adams Outdoor Advertising General Manager Tony Cioffi.

Started by Wendy Hickey in Charlotte, N.C., ArtPop is a national arts initiative designed to highlight local artists and the important roles they play in the community by showcasing their work on outdoor advertising space. The Lehigh Valley’s ArtPop program, now in its fourth year, is a partnership between Adams Outdoor Advertising of the Lehigh Valley, the national ArtPop Street Gallery, the nonprofit ArtsQuest and Kutztown University.

“We were so impressed by the quality and diversity of the submissions,” says Stacie Brennan, Sr. Director of Visual Arts at ArtsQuest. “The artist billboards will not only provide an opportunity to celebrate the diverse array of mediums and talent that make up the artist community in the Lehigh Valley, but they will also help to bring beauty in unexpected places for commuters. We are thankful to our partners at Adams, ArtPop and Kutztown for making this program possible.”