Council is looking for professional or hobby artists to add their own splash of colour to five Chorus cabinet boxes in Ashburton.

Submissions for designs open on 1 September and Mayor Neil Brown is hoping members of the community will be keen to showcase their artwork.

“We have some funds from Chorus to pay for materials used and we’d love to see some local artists use the cabinets as their canvas.”

The cabinets to be painted are at 62 Belt Road, on Mona Square, outside the old Briscoes building on Tancred Street, on Cass Street near the Triangle café, and on the corner of Cross and Elizabeth Streets.

Designs can be submitted during all of September and Council will select the winners in early October.

Mayor Brown said the painted telecommunications cabinets helped promote a sense of community belonging, identity and pride.

“The programme originally began in Auckland back in 2010 to try to reduce the amount of vandalism to these cabinets, but it was so successful Chorus extended it around the country.”

About 170 cabinet murals are painted each year. With each artwork staying in place for several years, the cabinets typically get viewed by thousands of pedestrians, cyclists and road-users during their lifetime.

People can learn more about the cabinet art programme and apply here.