All you need is a camera or camera phone, an interest in riddles and an eye for uncovering the hidden alphabet in Syracuse. SeekSyracuse invites neighbors to find and photograph the letters that spell “Syracuse” found on historic buildings in downtown Syracuse. The letters must come from the architecture itself: a window frame that forms the letter “E” or the connection between a sign and a building forms a “Y.” The catch is that the letters much be found on a particular set of buildings. To identify which buildings, you have to solve the simple riddles below that will lead to the selected buildings!

To participate, solve the riddles to identify the historic buildings. All the buildings are located in downtown Syracuse and are within walking distance of each other. Once you have solved the riddles, visit the buildings with your camera/camera phone and start the search for the individual “letters” that make up the word Syracuse.

All accepted submissions will be featured in an interactive display in City Hall Commons Atrium on ArtsWeek Saturday, July 31 during the day and will also be featured on www.syracuse.com. All submissions will be judged based on their composition and creativity. The best of the individual letters, as well as the best complete “Syracuse,” will be featured as banners on the City’s website. The winners will receive large format posters of their winning letter(s) to be presented at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 31 in City Hall Commons.

Submit your images to SeekSyracuse@ci.syracuse.ny.us. Submissions are due by 5 p.m. Wednesday July 28, 2010.

Questions? Contact Kate Auwaerter, Syracuse Public Arts Coordinator, at kauwaerter@ci.syracuse.ny.us. You can also visit the City web site for more information and tips at syracuse.ny.us and follow the links to SeekSyracuse.

To Learn More, click here.