Young Authors and Artists Competition 2008

INVENT

If you could invent one thing, what would it be and why?

Young Authors and Artists is an annual competition organised by the National Deaf Children's Society in Northern Ireland as part of our fantastic arts programme.

The competition was initially launched by Bob McCullough of the Belfast Telegraph in the early 1980s as an essay competition.

NDCS have developed this competition to include both creative writing and visual art.

This year our theme is Invent.

We are asking deaf children and young people in Northern Ireland to think about the following question,

"If you could invent one thing, what would it be and why?"

Read on to find out how you can enter and win prizes!

All deaf children and young people aged 4 to 18-years-old in Northern Ireland can apply.

The NDCS uses the term ‘deaf’ to mean all types of deafness, including temporary deafness such as glue ear.

You can enter the competition through your school or at home.

Young Authors and Artists will be promoted directly to schools with HIUs, Jordanstown Schools, peripatetic teachers, social workers, speech and language therapists, and our members.

“If you could invent one thing, what would it be and why?”

• This competition is open to all deaf children/young people in Northern Ireland aged 4 to 18-years-old.
• There are three age categories: 4 to 8-year-olds, 9 to 13-year-olds and 14 to 18-year-olds.
• Entrants must answer the above question using creative writing or visual art.
• You can enter through your school or by yourself.
• You can enter one piece of work in the creative writing category and one in the visual art category.
• Visual art pieces must be no larger than A3 size and must not be mounted. Any medium, eg paint, felt tip, crayon, pastels, collage, can be used.
• The competition deadline is Friday 9 May 2008. No entries will be accepted after this date.
• Judging will take place on Wednesday 14 May 2008.

• Read the design brief. 
• Think about the theme.
• Create an invention.
• Explain your invention using creative writing or visual art.
• Download your entry form (school or non-school).
• Send your finished pieces of work and your entry form to Stacey McStay, Arts Officer NI by Friday 9 May 2008.

All entries will be judged by a panel of three independent judges on Wednesday 14 May 2008.

There will be 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prizes within the three age categories for both creative writing and visual art.

The prize day will be in Belfast on Tuesday 3 June 2008 from 10.30am to 12.30pm.

A new School Award has been developed this year and will be presented to the school that displays the most impressive efforts throughout the competition.

The winning school will have the chance to work alongside an artist of their choice* to create their inventions from scrap materials.

*The artist is to be chosen from a list of recommended artists by NDCS. The workshop is for four hours maximum and can be split into two two-hour sessions.

If you need more help please do not hesitate to contact Stacey McStay, Arts Officer, NDCS NI.

Tel: (028) 90313170 (voice), (028) 90278177 (text).
Email: stacey.mcstay@ndcs.org.uk.  

We look forward to receiving your entries! Good luck!