SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The city wants to spice up the downtown core, and it's commissioning local artists to help do the job.

St. Joe's Catholic School student Jaida Dowe takes care of some detail work on a transformer being beautified by students at the school last year.

This is the second year the City of Yellowknife is calling on local painters, graffiti and digital artists, photographers and more to give transformers and traffic-light control boxes around the city a facelift.

"It's a great project that helps beautify our city and works with local artists to showcase their talents," said Richard McIntosh, communications and economic development officer with the city.

The goal is to decorate 15 boxes this year.

Last year, artists resurfaced 11 boxes - two that were covered with a vinyl wrapping, and the rest of which were painted, McIntosh said.

That included one by a Grade 6 class from St. Joseph School, who added splashes of colour, handprints and a painted Inuksuk to their work of art.

"Each one of them seems to be very unique and creative," said Derek McHugh, manager at Northland Utilities, which is again partnering with the city to host the project.

The project is open to any artist working in two-dimensional mediums, and the scope of their design is mostly up to them.

The city does stipulate designs must not depict traffic lights, signs or signals.

McHugh said Northland received compliments on the artworks last year, although he makes sure to remind people it's not his doing.

"The equipment is our equipment, but we're very happy to work with Richard and the artists to do it," McHugh said. "We're delighted that people are happy to do it, and that people are happy with the look of it."

According to the application for the project, artists will also be presented with an honorarium for their work.

Applications close May 31, with work set to take place between mid-June and Aug. 15.

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