The Lord Mayor, Councillor Irene Waudby, will officially open an unusual art display in the city on Thursday 18 October.

The display, on a 50 metre length of hoardings provided by Hungate (York) Regeneration Ltd at the Hungate city centre development site, is a celebration of visual art in the city showing paintings by York artists and community groups.

Throughout September and October, City of York Council's Community Arts team has been working with community groups including people experiencing housing problems, adults with learning difficulties, families and older people in sheltered housing, as part of York’s contribution to the Big Draw, an annual national initiative to encourage everyone to get drawing.

The Big Draw theme for 2007 is ‘window shopping’ and over 20 exciting and colourful artworks have been produced, based on the city’s shop windows,  taking inspiration from every kind of shop from sweet shops, cake shops to sports shops.

Gill Cooper, City of York Council' s head of Arts and Culture said: “The Big Draw project demonstrates that drawing and painting is at everyone’s fingertips and we are looking forward to seeing the work displayed at the outdoor gallery at Hungate. In 2005, City of York Council was awarded a national award for its Big Draw events and will be entering again this year – so watch this space!”

Hungate will be York’s first fully outdoor gallery and, working in partnership with Hungate (York) Regeneration Ltd, the Big Draw exhibition will be the first of a programme of outdoor art displays. The idea for using the hoardings was first mooted by residents.

Phil Darcy of Hungate (York) Regeneration Ltd said: “We are delighted to make the Hungate hoardings available and York artists have responded with some very eye catching work. I think the public and visitors to Hungate will enjoy the display.”

The Big Draw programme continues with events at the York Designer Outlet, York Theatre Royal, the Merchant Adventurer’s Hall and in Parliament Street. For information about Big Draw events in York, please visit www.yortime.org.uk or for the full programme of Big Draw events, see www.thebigdraw.org.uk