Museum is Big Draw

Artistic skills will surface in Bewdley when a national drawing competition rolls into town to mark the 200th anniversary of the abolition of slavery.

The town's museum is holding an art competition as it gets set to take part in the 2007 Big Draw event in October.

It needs a design to work from to create a giant picture and it is appealing to schools and visitors for ideas for the project.

The theme for the picture is freedom and it was chosen to tie with the country marking the 200th anniversary of the Abolition of Slavery in 1807.

The winning design will become the Big Draw image for the museum and will be reproduced as a six-foot by eight-foot picture.

This will be made up of hundreds of smaller pictures of Bewdley scenes and it is hoped people will attend the event in the Museum forecourt on Saturday October 6 between 11.00am and 4.00pm and help create the picture.

It will be produced under the guidance of resident artist Hilary Baker, who said: "It needs to be a single image in one colour, on a plain background using A4 sized paper.

"The image should represent freedom. Keep it simple and think of familiar symbols that are easily recognisable such as 'man at work' or a sign for a 'picnic area'." Councillor Nathan Desmond, Wyre Forest District Council's cabinet member for community and leisure services, said: "Last year more than 700 people took part in the Big Draw Event at Bewdley Museum. It's designed for all levels of abilities and all drawing materials are provided for free, so come along and get creative."

Designs should be sent to: Big Draw Design Competition, Bewdley Museum, Load Street, Bewdley, DY12 2AE by September 20.

For details of the event visit the website www.wyreforestdc.gov.uk/museum