Hoarding surrounding the Albury Art Gallery redevelopment is being transformed into a 25-metre street art work.

Armed with stencils and 100 cans of spray paint, Wollongong visual artist and graphic designer Trina Collins, also known as Poncho Army, has been busy over the long weekend.

Eight high school students from Albury have been helping her create street art with a purpose, starting with a stencilling workshop on Saturday.

“It’s showing kids that you can actually make a living from your art instead of vandalising property,” Collins said.

“You can contact businesses or council and get paid to transform areas.”

The large mural features stencils of children with the question “What will their future hold?”.

“People can have a think about it ... even if it gets them to recycle their coffee cup,” Collins said.

In 2012, ArtsHub named Collins as one of the top-10 street artists in Australia.

Her work is held in collections around the world.

“It’s a great project that literally turns the art gallery redevelopment project into a work of art,” Albury Council’s cultural services group leader Jacqui Hemsley said.

The project is a partnership between Albury Council, the Association of Decorative and Fine Arts Societies Murray River and the Stencil Art Prize.

The artwork will be on display for three months.