PORTSMOUTH "" Conceived by The Music Hall, Dream Chestnut Street is a pilot program to determine whether Chestnut Street can achieve permanent status as a pedestrian-friendly walkway.

As part of the program, The Music Hall has extended the deadline for inviting the public to help it create and implement a "great room" that will serve as a social gathering space for community, theater and city events.

Following a recommendation by the Traffic and Safety Committee, the City Council voted in favor of closing the street to through traffic from Aug. 1, 2007, to Jan. 1, 2008. A short side street, Chestnut Street has been home to The Music Hall since 1878.

The Dream Chestnut Street contest is open to New England organizations, teams and individuals with companies willing to voluntarily provide landscape, lighting and sculpture designs during part of the Chestnut Street trial closure. Teams are urged to combine artistry, innovation and imagination in their proposal.

The Music Hall will not provide any financial assistance for the streetscape. Winners will receive name exposure in various mediums, including Accent Magazine's 350,000 media circulation and will coincide with some of The Music Hall's events, including the annual Telluride by the Sea film festival and the Portsmouth Criterium.

Additionally, the exhibit will be timed in conjunction with the unveiling of the newly restored auditorium.

"Dream Chestnut Street will be a gorgeous and enthralling first-impression' entrance to the newly restored Music Hall and will captivate patrons and artists from all around New England and America," said Elena Maltese, special projects manager for The Music Hall. "Rarely does one have the opportunity to contribute to a project that supports an extraordinary piece of history and the very finest contemporary performance art and culture."

Bidders have until May 1 to submit their proposals; the winning proposal will be announced May 15. The installation will be on display between Sept. 1 and Oct. 8, 2007.

Ideas Wanted

For more details and to download the official Dream Chestnut Street entry form, visit www.themusichall.org.