An ArtPop billboard from another market.

Driving in and around Charlotte, motorists enjoy a wide variety of billboards advertising various products. Some of these ads are quite eye catching, some funny and others inventive, but what if this space held more than an ad? What if that 14-foot-by-48-foot space was used for something more provocative, more inspiring—like art?

This is exactly what a new initiative of the Arts and Science Council (ASC) partnering with Adams Outdoor Advertising is doing with ArtPop (Art + Public Outdoor Project). The ASC and Adams Outdoor will be making 20 local Mecklenburg County artists’ works available to a wide audience – all those thousands of motorists driving in and around Charlotte. Consequently, they’ll be giving a much deserved promotional hand to Charlotte area artists from any discipline, pursuing any medium. Performing artists are encouraged to think creatively about how to best represent their work visually in a 2D format.

Twenty-five artists will be selected by a jury of local arts and design aficionados. The jury will automatically extend an invitation to participate in ArtPop to the top 15 artists selected, while the remaining 10 artists will compete in a public vote on CharlotteCultureGuide.com to be selected as one of the final five participants. The vinyls for the billboards will be used in the program for one year and could be located anywhere in the Adams Outdoor Charlotte coverage area. There is no cost to artists with Adams Outdoor providing the space, and the ASC is covering the cost of production.

So if you are an artist looking to gain broader exposure in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area, apply for ArtPop. Submissions will be accepted until November 1; for detailed information on the submission process, click here. If you are an art lover, be sure to check out Charlotte Culture Guide between November 25 and December 1 to vote for the work you would like to see on a billboard near you.

ArtPop.