When sitting at a traffic light it’s easy to miss the large, drab metal boxes on the side of the street. Moscow, Pullman’s hipster sister-city has a solution to give them a facelift.

The city of Moscow has recently teamed up with the Moscow Arts Commission and created a public call for artists in the area to submit samples of their work in order to win an art display in the form of vinyl traffic box covers.

“Art is for all people,” said Katherine Clancy one of the winners from last year and a resident artist in Moscow. “A lot of art is really expensive. The ability to have public art out there makes it more accessible and brings more life to the city and more interest. It’s art you see there, not just another metal box.”

The Moscow Arts Director Kathleen Burns said the city has always had a heart for displaying the work of local artists. The Moscow Arts Commission was created by the city 37 years ago, so they were immediately on board with creating this call for artists. The vinyl covers on traffic boxes are only one example of many public art pieces the city puts together.

According to The Inlander, last year the vinyl covers were completed just in time for the Moscow Artwalk, a self-guided tour where artists can display their work through participating Moscow businesses. Over 10 years, the Moscow Artwalk has become “one of the many arts and cultural activities that make Moscow a vibrant community,” as stated on the city’s website.

Four busy intersections in the city were selected to display the art last year: Sixth and Washington, Third and Jackson, Third and Washington, and Sixth and Jackson. Four new ones will be used for the display this year.

This public call is only open to artists 18 years of age or older who live in a number of counties in Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho. All entries need to be submitted by 12 p.m. May 19.

The winning entry will become the property of the city of Moscow and the artist is required to sign an Art Purchase Agreement transferring all rights of the work to the city of Moscow.

The selected artist or artists will be paid a $100 stipend for each of their designs that win.

Submissions can be sent to the City of Moscow Arts Department in the City Hall at 206 East Third St., Moscow, ID 83843.

More information and restrictions can be found at www.ci.moscow.id.us.