Many gorgeous views have always greeted bikers on their rides through Portland, but now local artists will compete to add more.
The Bike to Books art contest gives Portlanders an opportunity to create art that will appear along the hundreds of miles of bike lanes around the city.
The contest is sponsored by the Portland Bureau of Transportation and Multnomah County Library to “encourage kids to bike more, read books and – better yet – bike to their local library,” according to the transportation bureau.
The contest launched in 2017 and is now returning after a three-year hiatus.
Contestants may transform a bike-lane icon however they see fit, adding colors and flourishes and accompanying illustrations. The winning design will be laid out on designated bike lanes spread out all over the city.
There are four age categories for the contest: Pre-K to 2nd grade; 3rd through 6th grades; 7th to 12th grades and then finally, for the first time, a new adult category for anyone 18 or older.
Since the competition began, there have been 19 original art pieces installed in bike lanes all around the City of Roses. Winning art has ranged from an octopus using its many legs to pedal its bike to the Unipiper blaring his pipes as he rides.
Submissions this year must arrive by June 1.
With May being National Bike Month, Multnomah County Library also is hosting various events such as Bike Storytime and Bike Maintenance workshops, to encourage Portlanders to get on bikes and ride.
— Quinton Prudhomme is a reporter on the public safety and breaking news team. Reach him at 503-221-8002 or qprudhomme@oregonian.com.
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