11/03/2010

Pupils from schools in York have been invited to enter an art competition, celebrating all that's great about York and Yorkshire.

The competition by Visit York has been launched to celebrate the opening of its brand new, state of the art visitors centre, which is due to open this spring. The competition is for 30 budding Picassos from each of the schools to either draw, sketch or paint their favourite thing to do/ day out in York or Yorkshire, with winning entries to be given pride of place inside the new visitor information centre when it opens.

The competition has been rolled out across Yorkshire, with over 100 schools invited to take part.

The winner will receive an all-expenses paid family day out in York, plus £100 worth of book vouchers for their school. They will also have their winning poster displayed for all to see in the centre. Second and third place finalists will each receive a Yorkshire Pass, offering free entry to York and Yorkshire's visitor attractions. Ten runner up prizes to some of Yorkshire's top visitor attractions will also be available to win. 

Supported by Yorkshire Forward, Welcome to Yorkshire, the City of York Council and York Conservation Trust, the new state-of-the-art ‘Visit York Information Centre' will be opening its doors to the public in the Spring, replacing the existing service currently located at the De Grey Rooms in Exhibition Square.

Chris Morton, manager of the new visitor information centre, commented: "The project has been taking shape rapidly and we are eagerly awaiting the opening of the new centre. Visit York wanted to involve pupils from local schools to celebrate what they love to do in and around Yorkshire. I think that seeing the winning pupil's work will be a lovely touch for locals and tourists to see when they are thinking of what to do in the city or region, as well as possibly discovering Yorkshire's budding artists of the future.'

The winning poster will be displayed in the new centre which is moving to the site of a grade II listed building, 1 Museum Street dates back to  1840, with the renovation and restoration is being led by York Conservation Trust. The centre will act as a gateway of services for the city and the region, showcasing a range of  locally and regionally sourced products.

The Visit York Information Centre will be a centre for all - for locals as well as visitors to the city, a one-stop shop for advice and information on all that's happening in York and the region. 

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