Artist calls for Scotland’s schoolchildren to get creative for 2018 Fringe Schools Poster Competition
11 October 2017
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society and champion artist Ursula Kam-Ling Cheng today launched the 2018 Fringe Schools Poster Competition. Ursula, an illustrator and live drawing artist based in Glasgow, invited schoolchildren across Scotland to submit their artistic impressions of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe through any form of creative art, with three winning entries to feature as the official posters for the 2018 Fringe. The competition, supported by Virgin Money, opens today and the deadline for entries is Friday 09 March 2018.
Ursula has created artworks for Hidden Door Festival, Chemikal Underground Records and Urban Outfitters, amongst others. She will deliver a creative workshop with teachers, sit on the competition’s judging panel and attend the exhibition’s opening event as guest of honour.
Ursula Kam-Ling Cheng
Launching the 2018 competition, Ursula Kam-Ling Cheng said:
“I am thrilled to act as champion artist for the 2018 Fringe Schools Poster Competition. This is a fantastic opportunity for students across Scotland to engage in design and expression. The competition encourages imaginative minds to action their creativity and ideas, using any artform that appeals to them. I'm really looking forward to seeing the diverse, inventive and original works that Scotland’s schoolchildren produce, reflecting their impressions of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.”
Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said:
“The Fringe Schools Poster Competition is a fantastic opportunity for the Fringe to engage with schools across Scotland, encouraging children to express themselves creatively and helping them develop as individuals and successful learners. Every year the quality and variety of entries we receive is astounding, demonstrating the exceptional talents of Scotland’s schoolchildren and providing an insight into their unique perceptions of the Fringe.
“Following the relaunch of the competition for 2017, there was a remarkable increase in the number of schools participating, with more than half of schools entering the competition for the first time. We hope to see a huge response from schools across Scotland again in 2018, and I look forward to being inspired by the designs submitted.”
This year’s competition will be judged in three different age categories, Primary 1 – 3, Primary 4 –7, and Senior 1 – 6. One overall winner will be selected in each age category, alongside 14 regional winners. Winning designs will feature in an exhibition, alongside 150 other shortlisted entries, that will take place at Dynamic Earth between June and August 2018.
The Creative Stars award will also return in 2018 for the individual pupil, teacher, class or school who go the extra mile in creating their Fringe poster design. In 2017, the winners of this award were Castlebrae Community High School’s Lunchtime Art Club, who ran a collaborative workshop with pupils, sharing ideas and working together to create their final artwork.
The Schools Poster Competition will once again be supported by Virgin Money. Brand Director at Virgin Money, Andrew Nicholson said:
“Virgin Money is delighted to support the Fringe Schools Poster Competition, which continues to inspire the imaginations of Scotland’s schoolchildren, introducing them to the colourful wonders of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. This year, the competition enjoyed a fantastic increase in the number of schools participating for the first time. I hope that we will see even more new schools engaging with this fun-filled, creative competition in 2018.”
The 2017 Fringe Schools Poster Competition saw a 62% increase in the number of schools participating, with 5,000 entries from 187 schools across the country. As part of the Fringe’s 70th anniversary celebrations, the three winning designs featured as the cover designs of the official 2017 Fringe Programme, enjoyed by thousands of visitors to Edinburgh over the summer.
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Notes to Editors
For a picture of champion artist Ursula Kam-Ling Cheng or for more information, please contact the Fringe Media Office
[email protected] / +44 (0)131 240 1919
Postal entries for the Fringe Schools Poster Competition should be sent to: Schools Poster Competition, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, 180 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1QS no later than 17:00 Friday 09 March 2018.
Online entries can be submitted by visiting www.edfringe.com/poster
The competition is open to all Primary 1 to Senior 6 pupils at schools in Scotland. Full details of the competition along with the entry pack, prize information and learning resources can be downloaded at www.edfringe.com/poster.
The prizes for the top three artists and their schools are:
Pupils – £150 (cash) and £150 arts and culture voucher
Schools – £250 (cash) and £250 arts and culture voucher