A Winnipeg artist’s painting of a beloved local street has won a national contest to appear on the cover of the Yellow Pages.
A piece by Keri Sobkowich was selected as the winner of the 2026 National Directory Cover Competition. Her creation will now appear on millions of copies of the 2026 Yellow Pages Directory distributed across the country.
“I was pretty excited and surprised. I didn’t really think that I had a chance,” Sobkowich said.
The Winnipeg artist, who also works as a teacher, initially found out about the contest through a friend.
“I’m kind of trying to just get started as an artist. I thought it might give me a boost, so I entered a few submissions,” she said.
The theme of the nationwide competition was “Local Businesses: The Heart of Our Communities.”
Sobkowich’s winning submission is an acrylic painting of a picturesque stretch of Academy Road featuring a local café, clothing store, architecture firm, dentist’s office and hair salon.
“I researched that they were independent businesses and that they were there for a substantial amount of time,” she said.
Among them – Chestnut Lane Boutique, a clothing store that’s been in business for nearly three decades.
Owner Tannice Dandeneau was thrilled to learn her corner of Academy landed on the cover of the Yellow Pages.
“It kind of sets a tone for Academy Road – boutiques, quaint restaurants and such,” she said.
“I feel that’s the vibe. You can grab a coffee. It has a bit of a European feel.”
As for Sobkowich, she hopes the win will help raise her profile as a growing artist.
“My information is in the Yellow Pages, my website, my Instagram, my bio,” she said.
“The advertising is a good way to get people to look at my website and look at my paintings.”
