The search is on for northern artwork to be featured on Northwestel’s 2010 telephone directory covers.

Each year, Northwestel invites northern artists to submit their work to be considered for use on the covers of its three phone directories.

“Northwestel is proud of the work done by artists across the North,” said Anne Kennedy, Northwestel Director Communications. “Our company has featured original works by northern artists on the covers of our telephone directories since 1983. It’s one of the ways in which we work to support northern culture and communities. I would encourage artists to take the time to choose and submit selections of their work to this year’s competition. Their artwork certainly enhances our directory covers and it also provides a great opportunity for artists to have their work seen by other northerners.”

This year, artists have until September 18th to get their entries in to Northwestel.

Northwestel publishes a separate directory for each of the main regions in its operating area, which are Nunavut, the Northwest Territories and Yukon/Northern British Columbia. One piece of art is chosen from each of the three regions.

The competition is open to both established and emerging artists. Entrants must be current residents of Northwestel’s operating area and may not have had their work published on a Northwestel directory cover during the last four years. Each artist may submit a maximum of two pieces.

Each of the three selected entrants will be awarded $2000.00. The winning entries will be added to Northwestel’s corporate art collection.

After all entries are received, they will be posted for public viewing on Northwestel’s website at www.nwtel.ca, until the winners are selected.

Complete rules and the application form for the contest are available on the In the Community page of Northwestel’s website at www.nwtel.ca.

Northwestel provides complete telecommunications solutions in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon, northern British Columbia and High Level, Alberta. The company’s operations span nearly 4 million square kilometres of the most remote and rugged areas of Canada.