Young artists aged five to 18 are being encouraged to design a poster for this year’s Antigua Sailing Week.

Event bosses yesterday announced the launch of the annual school art competition sponsored by Harper’s Office Depot. 

 “One of the onshore events that truly captures the attention of school-aged children is the school art competition. And each year, since 1968, organisers look forward to receipt and review of the next generation’s artistic interpretations of the themes presented,” said Rana Lewis, Sailing Week’s Marketing Manager. 

“This year, we are asking the young people to create artwork that illustrates the theme of Protecting Our Ocean Species in tandem with Earth Day’s 2024 mission.” 

The young artists can create a poster that highlights one of the following: an endangered marine species portrait; an underwater ecosystem; ocean species advocacy; or those who work tirelessly to protect the nation’s ocean and species.

 This is the sixth year that Harper’s Office Depot is the title sponsor.

“It really is a pleasure for us to be a part of this prestigious and long-running event. We are looking forward to seeing the range and scope of work by our young artists,” said the company’s Managing Director Roy Bento.

The winning entry will be reproduced as a poster and serve as a welcome sign to English Harbour, at its position outside Cobbs Cross Primary School.

The winners of the three age categories – five to eight, nine to 12, and 13 to 18 –  will all receive a host of prizes from Harper’s Office Depot including EC$300 worth of art supplies for the overall poster design winner. First placed winners in each age category will receive vouchers worth EC$125, second placed winners EC$100 voucher and third placed winners will receive vouchers worth EC$75.

Harper’s will also give an art prize to the People’s Choice award. Stingray City, Adventure Antigua, Rock Adventures, and Margrie Hunt Pottery (formerly Cedars Pottery) have also donated prizes.

“We are truly grateful for the continued support of our title sponsor and from corporate entities, as it shows how important they believe it is to support and nurture our young artists,” said Lewis.

Summer Goodwin, an art student at Christ the King Secondary School, won last year’s competition.

An exhibition of the winning entries along with the presentation of awards will be on April 12.

The full details including theme, guidelines and deadlines will be distributed to local schools via the Ministry of Education. Interested teachers, parents and artists can also find the details of the competition at www.sailingweek.com or the dedicated Facebook page – ASWSchoolsArt.

 Entries are now open and digital versions of the completed pieces can be sent  for consideration and judging via email to [email protected] by the deadline of March 31. The voting period for the online People’s Choice on Facebook will be April 3 to 6.