This year we are having two separate art challenges. One for elementary school students (K-4) and one for high school students (9-12).
High School Art Challenge
Create original student art about the following theme: Displaced Children and Stolen Hopes
Childhood has ended too soon for hundreds of millions of children across the world, including in the US, due to many reasons including wars, violence, malnutrition, and exclusion from education. Millions of children experience separation from their families and social settings. These children include refugees, internally displaced persons, and children separated from their parents. Students may consider the following in preparing their work:
- How does life look like for a displaced child, separated from either from his/her parents or his/her home country or social settings?
- What a displace child have in common with you?
- What are the needs of a displaced child?
- What can we do about this problem?
Display & Awards: Work will be shown at multiple venues and the winners will be decided based on public vote and juror’s choice. Each participant student will receive a certificate. The awards are: $100 for first place, $75 for second place, and $50 for third place. In addition there will be several honorable mentions. A certificate and a gift will also be presented to the teachers of the winners.
Elementary School Art Challenge
We invite elementary school students to create original art that encourages “bridge building” across cultural barriers such as race, religion, economic class, and social divides. Students may consider the following in preparing their work:
- Who are your neighbors and schoolmates? Do you know your neighbors or classmates well? What are their “stories” – their journeys in life?
- Do you have a friend who is different from you? What are the differences? Skin color, the way he/she dresses, the way his/her family look, the food he/she eats at lunch, the holidays he/she celebrates?
- How do you feel when you meet someone that looks or sounds or behaves different from you?
- How can we encourage the people around us at school or in our neighborhoods to be respectful, caring and fair to people who may look and live different from us?
Display & Awards: Work will be shown at multiple venues and the winners will be decided based on public vote and juror’s choice. Each participant student will receive a certificate. The awards are: $50 for first place, $40 for second place, and $30 for third place. In addition there will be several honorable mentions. A certificate and a gift will also be presented to the teachers of the winners.
Details for Both Contests
Criteria: Work may be two-dimensional (2D) or three dimensional (3D), but no more than 24” framed in any direction. The 2D work must be mounted individually on a stiff surface such as matte board or foam core so that it can be displayed on an easel. Work should either reach the edge or be matted on a black or white background. Use acetate or glass to cover delicate works such as charcoal or pastel. The 3D work should be pre-assembled and have its own container to travel in safely with a lid so that it can be stacked during travel.
Paperwork: All projects must be submitted with the filled out name tag typed and mounted on black matte board. The name tag should include the name of the student, his/her teacher’s name, the title for the art piece and a brief statement (1-3 sentences) describing the artwork’s message. Please fill out the teacher inventory form for your school as well. Both forms are available here: Art Contest Name Tag and Inventory Forms
Timeline: The deadline for submissions is May 4th, 2018. Work will be returned after the awards ceremony and final exhibit during PeaceQuest 2018, which will be held in late September.
Please email lansing@niagarafoundation.org with questions and to sign up ASAP! We will let you know how many pieces per level we can take once we know how many schools are participating. (We anticipate 5-12 entries per school)
About Niagara Foundation
Niagara Foundation (NF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to promote intercultural and interfaith dialogue and to encourage cultural exchange through social, art, and educational events. NF is dedicated to building a platform where people from all walks of life can come together and appreciate their differences and similarities in a friendly atmosphere. More information at https://www.niagarafoundation.org/branches/mi/
