A founding program of the Sunshine Coast Arts Council is coming up for its 20th anniversary this year.
The Young Artists Awards are designed to encourage kids to do their own creative thing in their own homes and submit their work to a jury of professional artists for display at the Arts Centre's Doris Crowston Gallery.
"This is for the kids who decorate their skateboards," said organizer Sheila Page, "and the ones who make their own Halloween masks because they like doing it."
In other words, this is not art done in school as class assignments. This is original, creative expression, and the participants will receive a gentle critique of their work.
All the entrants will also receive a certificate and those artists specially selected by the judges will receive prizes of gift certificates that will allow them to buy art supplies locally and at Opus in Vancouver.
There are four age categories: children five to eight years, nine to 12, teens from 13 to 15 and young adults from 16 to 18.
Last year there was only one entry in the young adult category as compared to six in the children's. But Page points out that it varies from year to year. All are welcome and must enter three pieces of art - not only drawings or paintings, but ceramics, fabric arts or sculpture.
"We'd love to have more three-dimensional work," said Page, noting that many kids are now working with photography and other digital arts, which are also eligible.
Because this is not a school-instigated project, Page relies on the good will of parents to buy the materials for the kids and to get the finished work to the Arts Centre.
"The Arts Council wants to encourage kids who are interested in art with this program," she said. Several other organizations, the art supply stores and the Gibsons School of the Arts, among others, also encourages young artists by making donations.
The deadline date for entries is Saturday, Nov. 26, at 3 p.m. The work should be brought to the Arts Centre (Trail and Medusa) in Sechelt where the judges will view it and it will be hung on display for the following three weeks. The awards reception is on Saturday, Dec. 17, at 2:30 p.m.
Learn more about the SC Arts Council and download an award application form by visiting the website www.scartscouncil.com or by phoning 604-885-5412.
