SYDNEY.- Ten artworks depicting Sydney as a vibrant and lively "city of villages" have been selected as finalists for display on City streets in July and August.

The finalists in this year's Sydney, City of Villages Poster Art Competition are innovative and colourful, portraying local community streetscapes, busy CBD skylines and some of Sydney's most famous icons.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP said that the images chosen this year depict the incredible diversity of contemporary Sydney village life.

"From serene community gardens in Waterloo to the sparkling Sydney Harbour, the artworks encapsulate life in the City of Sydney," Ms Moore said.

The finalists were selected by a distinguished panel of judges: Barry Pearce, Head Curator of Australian Art at the New South Wales Art Gallery; Professor Anita Taylor, National Art School Director and Claire Taylor, independent Sydney-based curator.

The artworks will be featured as giant posters on JCDecaux street furniture sites around the City for four weeks in July and August. They will also be exhibited at Pine Street Creative Arts Centre, a unique arts centre in the heart of Sydney, from 14 July - 3 August 2009.

The work judged most outstanding will be announced at the exhibition launch at Pine Street and receive prize money of $3,000.

The fourth annual Sydney, City of Villages art competition, produced by City of Sydney in partnership with JCDecaux, attracted a record 139 entries from Australian artists working in painting, printmaking or drawing.

2009 Finalists

Mark Lauther - "Rear Window View Over Part of Surry Hills"
John Haycraft - "South Paddington"
Julia Lesiuk Sawicki - "Harbor View from Macquarie St"
Michael Fairweather - "Abercrombie St 5pm"
Joo-Yeon Lee - "Rhythmic Nightlights in Circular Quay"
Carl Milton - "Cook Community Garden - Waterloo"
Jo Shand - "On the way up - King St"
Kevin McKay - "Observations - Millers Point"
Stephanie Rajalingam - "Monument AWA"
Adrian Langker - "Gridlock Bike Rack - Uni of Sydney"