As part of our commitment to zero tolerance for any form of abuse or harm to children or any person, the Diocese of Parramatta is running our first art competition for children and young people!
Voting has now closed. Winners will be announced shortly.
Thank you for your support.
A Church community is a place of Christian faith where people gather to celebrate and grow their relationship with God.
What makes you feel safe in your Church community?
This inaugural Diocesan Art Competition is an opportunity for you to share your voice using your artistic skills.
The Art Competition is open to anyone between the ages of 5 and 19 years and seeks to uncover, through art, what makes you feel safe in your Church community. Please use your art to share your voice and participate in the decisions that directly impact you.
The competition will be judged by a panel of experts and there are great prizes to be won.
Entries will be eligible to be displayed at the inaugural Diocesan Safeguarding Art Exhibition later in the year.
Winning entries may be developed further to become Diocesan logos that will link to age-appropriate online safeguarding resources for children and young people.
Who is the competition open to?
There are three categories for entry, and there will be a winner in each age group:
Children 5 to 10 years old
Children 11 to 15 years old
Young people 16 to 19 years old
Theme: “My Church community is a safe place for me”
Create an original artwork that represents a space where you feel safe to participate and grow your relationship with God.
Dates:
Competition Opens
Monday 17 June 2024
Competition Closes:
Friday 26 July at 5pm
Prizes
Prizes are applicable to all age categories (children 5-10 years, children 11-15 years and young adults 16-19 years)
- First Prize: Workshop with artist Elaine Butler of Fun Time Art and $500 worth of gift cards from Eckersley’s Art & Craft Supplies and/or Red Balloon*
- Second Prize: Workshop with artist Elaine Butler of Fun Time Art and $300 worth of gift cards from Eckersley’s Art & Craft Supplies and/or Red Balloon*
- Highly Commended: Workshop with artist Elaine Butler of Fun Time Art and $100 worth of gift cards from Eckersley’s Art & Craft Supplies and/or Red Balloon*
- People’s Choice: Workshop with artist Elaine Butler of Fun Time Art and $250 worth of gift cards from Eckersley’s Art & Craft Supplies and/or Red Balloon*
* Single or combination gift cards up to prize value. Artist workshop details are subject to change based on availability.
Judges:
Catherine Bourne: Catherine is a Parishioner of St Anthony of Padua Parish, Toongabbie. She is a Fertility Educator with Natural Fertility, a ministry of the Diocese’s Mission Enhancement Team. Previously, Catherine was a Primary School Teacher with a keen interest in creative arts.
Catherine works with couples teaching them Natural Family Planning (NFP) and is amazed by the growth in them as the gift of their fertility is revealed. Catherine is married to David, they have three adult children and a delightful granddaughter! She loves walking, pottering in the garden and lounging with the cats.
Laura Burton: Laura is the Safeguarding Champion at St Bernadette’s Parish, Castle Hill, and is passionate about ensuring people feel safe and supported in our parishes, ministries, schools, and communities.
Laura Burton is a painter, working mostly with watercolour and acrylic. Most of her work features nature, focusing on bright colours, natural landscapes, and fine detail. She also enjoys exploring mixed-mediums and abstract design, incorporating texture and layers into 3D works on canvas.
Laura also has a background as a Primary school teacher, having worked in several primary schools within the Diocese. She is involved in several ministries within her parish as a Children’s Liturgy teacher, Catechist, and Young Adults Leader, and was the Youth Coordinator at her parish for several years.
Estrellita (Lita) Picart: Lita is a parishioner of St Andrew the Apostle Parish, Marayong and an active member of Couples for Christ, Australia.
She has taught Visual Arts in Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese since 1996. She is known for her artistic talents, her dedication to teaching and for her long-term involvement in Parish Ministry. She has a Masters Degree in Teaching Art Education with Distinction.
She has a strong interest in religious art. Her commissions include: ‘Stations of the Cross’: Five Triptych Oil Paintings (1996) and ‘Stations of Life’: 14 Acrylic Paintings (2000). These are displayed at St Andrew’s Parish Church Marayong. Lita aspires to continue exploring opportunities in art and education and to inspire meaningful change through work and values.
Judging criteria:
Your own original piece of artwork that was created with the theme “My Church community is a safe place for me” should be:
- A “flat”, one-dimensional artwork e.g. drawing, painting, collage, photograph, computer or graphic art or a mix of these media that can be converted into a digital image.
- In a landscape or horizontal format and is no larger than A4.
Your artwork should be accompanied by a brief explanation that outlines the inspiration for your artwork and how it addresses the theme (20 to 200 words).
Your artwork will be judged on the following criteria:
- Originality and Creativity (25%)
- Does the artist’s work present a unique concept?
- Has the work been created during 2024?
- Composition and Design (25%)
- How well is the artwork composed with the use of line, shape and colour?
- How effectively has the theme been represented or symbolised in the design?
- Use of Medium (25%)
- Does the chosen medium fall within the competition’s criteria?
- How effectively has the chosen medium represented the artwork’s purpose?
- Interpretation and Clarity of Theme (25%)
- How well has the theme been interpreted in the artwork?
- How effectively has the written explanation demonstrated the artist’s purpose and process in creating this artwork?
How to enter:
Please fill out the form below to enter the competition. You may submit your original artwork along with the explanation in the following ways:
- By electronic submission via the link below.
- By direct mail care of the Diocese of Parramatta (PO Box 3066 North Parramatta NSW 1750)
- In-person delivery to the Diocesan Chancery Office or your local parish office.
In your submission, you may include a high-resolution digital image of your finished artwork. Image quality must be high resolution and of high quality to enable printing and inclusion in the Art Display.
Contact:
If you have any questions, you can contact us on [email protected].
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I enter more than once?
The competition provides opportunity for one artwork per person.
Will you return my artwork?
Artworks will not be returned to entrants. If you would like to seek the return of your artwork, please contact [email protected] to discuss.
What is a faith community?
A faith community is a place where people gather to celebrate God. An example would be church and/or a church Youth Group.