This year’s Best Buy Nashville River Stages, the city’s premier music event, will not only feature the best live music from a variety of genres, but also the artistic talents of a painter or graphic designer.

A contest to find that winning piece of art is underway and that piece of art will be turned into an event poster that will be sold at the May 2-4 downtown festival with proceeds benefiting Special Olympics Tennessee, the event’s beneficiary. Printing is being provided by Nashville’s Midtown Printing.

In addition to having their work featured on the event poster, the winner will also receive four V.I.P. passes to Best Buy Nashville River Stages, have their work displayed at the 12th & Porter nightclub as well as published in a local publication. Special Olympics Tennessee serves more than 15,000 athletes in 30 area programs that encompass all of the state’s counties.

Twenty separate sports programs are offered and training or competition takes place 12 months a year.

Interested artists and designers, 18 years of age and older, should send or deliver their original artwork (no larger than 20 x 18) by Friday, April 18th to: Poster Contest, Clear Channel Entertainment, 1400-18th Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37212.

All entries become the property of Clear Channel Entertainment. A complete list of contest rules and information can be found by logging on to http://www.bestbuynashvilleriverstages.com/.

The talent lineup for the 6th annual Best Buy Nashville River Stages includes 65 acts the likes of John Mayer, Joe Cocker, Steve Winwood, Everclear, Buddy Guy and the B-52s. Ticket and event information can also be found on the event’s Web site.