A public vote to find Merseyside’s best young artists opened on Monday 1 April and continues until 26 April.
More than 1000 pupils from over 60 schools entered this year’s dot-art Schools competition and are hoping for your votes to see their artwork on display in a free public exhibition at LJMU Liverpool School of Art & Design later this spring.
The online inter-school art contest, which is now in its seventh year, gives both Year 5 and Year 9 pupils across the Liverpool City Region the opportunity to showcase their artistic talents and have their work displayed in the exhibition. The judges have narrowed it down to their top three entries from each school ready for the public to vote for their favourite. The artwork with the most votes from each participating school will win a place in the dot-art Schools 2019 exhibition that opens in June.
dot-Art Schools project manager Carolyn Murray added: “The competition is designed to celebrate the creativity of young people in Merseyside to nurture and develop the next generation of rising stars. It’s also a fantastic chance for pupils to showcase their skills and artwork to their parents, family and the wider community in a free public exhibition in one of Liverpool John Moores University most creative settings.”
The shortlisting panel is made up of representatives from some of the region’s most respected arts and cultural institutions including Professor Caroline Wilkinson, Director of the School of Art & Design at Liverpool John Moores University and Sandra Penketh, Director of Art Galleries at National Museums Liverpool. dot-art are delighted to announce the new shortlisting panel member for 2019 is Chester born celebrated conceptual artist, Ryan Gander.
Ryan commented “When I was young I wanted to be an artist but it wasn’t really a job then, like being a police dog handler or an astronaut, or a dancer. What’s great about seeing all the amazing artworks by the children of Cheshire and Merseyside is that you can tell we live in an age where art is encouraged, not stigmatised. Amongst this selection may be the next Barbara Hepworth or Grayson Perry, who knows? But even if not, creativity is free to enjoy and it’s potential is in every single one of us, so it’s nice to see so many people making the most of that knowledge.”
The overall winners will be chosen by a special guest judge and announced at a prize-giving ceremony and exhibition launch.
View the shortlist and vote online for the work you would like to see on show at the dot-art website. Voting closes at midnight on Friday 26 April 2019.