GLOUCESTERSHIRE art lovers of all ages - take your pens, paints, sketch books and cameras to the Longborough Festival Opera over bank holiday weekend and you can join in its special competition.

The Opera grounds, in Chapel Lane, Longborough, will be open on Sunday and Monday from 10am to 5pm so people can paint it for the contest to find a new image to grace the front of next year's brochure.

The competition is open to all county residents and there will be three age categories - under 12, 12-18 and over 18. Pictures can be of any sort, except no larger than A1 and not in 3D, and must be completed by May 25.

Winners in each category will receive a book and have their work displayed in the opera foyer all season while the overall winner will also receive theatre tokens or a pair of tickets to this year's festival, as well as having their picture used on the 2004 brochure.

This year's festival features Benjamin Britten's Albert Herring, Puccini's Tosca, and Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutti. It runs from June 11 to July 13 and brochures and tickets are available on 01451 830292 or log on to www.longboroughopera.com.