School Arts Competition- Year of the Dragon | 新年生肖绘画比赛 | Confucius Institute

The Year of the Dragon will be the next Chinese Lunar Year and the traits of the Dragon are charisma, intelligence and confidence. We believe there can be no better traits to represent our unified spirit and drive for success in the year of 2024.

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Chinese New Year Arts Competition for Schools - Year of the Dragon

As the Lunar Chinese New Year approaches on 10th February 2024, marking the Year of the Dragon, we invited all schools to participate in the celebration of this vibrant cultural festival through our Chinese New Year Arts Competition. Not only was this opportunity for students to showcase their artistic talents, but it also offered opportunities to schools in the awarding of Amazon vouchers and certificates presented by the University of Sheffield.

Competition Details:

Art Theme: The Dragon - Year of the Dragon 2024

Medium: Original handcrafted A4 sized artwork using water-soluble, pastel, graphite, charcoal, or coloured pencils, etc.

Categories: Key Stages at primary school (KS1, KS2L, KS2U), and Key Stages at secondary school (KS3, KS4, and KS5).

Prizes at each category:

First Prize Winner: £10 Amazon e-Gift Voucher
Two Runners-up: £5 each Amazon e-Gift Voucher

Exhibition Launch Party:

To sustain the festive spirit, provide an engaging cultural experience, and showcase the creativity of young artists, school staff and students, and their families and friends are invited to Exhibition Launch Party on 21 March, 5pm - 8pm in the University Diamond Building.

Party Highlights:

Winning artwork submitted by schools will be prominently displayed.
Winners and their families are encouraged to attend.
Exciting announcements of overall winners in each category across participating schools.
Award ceremony to recognise outstanding achievements.
Live Chinese music to enhance the cultural atmosphere.
Demonstration of Chinese classical painting for an immersive experience.
Food and drinks to complement the celebration.
Token of Attendance will be given out to schools and winners.

Address: The Diamond, Leavygreave Road, Broomhall, Sheffield S3 7RD.

Places are limited and need registration through this Google Form.

Exhibition Dates:

March 25-27th, 2024 (All days), Diamond Exhibition Space, University of Sheffield.

Submission Process:

Organise painting sessions within a class, a year group, or across the whole school.
Judge one First-Prize winner and two Runners-up in each category.
Enclose the original winners' artwork with the provided entry slip.
Click to download Entry Slip for Primary School.
Click to download Entry Slip for Secondary School or College.
Submit the winners' artwork by March 1st, 2024, to the postal address mentioned above.
Register your attendance for the Exhibition Launch Party by filling in this Google Form.
Attend the Launch Party for the Award Ceremony, cultural experience, and receive a token of appreciation.

Click to download a flyer to be displayed at school.

For any inquiries, please feel free to contact us via email or reach out to us directly at 07593502130.

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Previous Competitions

2023 - Rabbit

The Year of the Rabbit fell on 22nd January 2023. The traits of the rabbit are popularity, compassion, and sincereness. We believe there can be no better traits to represent our unified spirit in the year of 2023 - and we’re overjoyed to be able to share this spirit with schools across the country!

Click to see all entries at KS1

Click to see all entries at KS2 Lower

Click to see all entries at KS2 Upper

Click to see all entries at KS3

Click to see all entries at KS4

Click to see all entries at KS5

Overall Winners, judged by the Confucius Institute.

Misha Yakovenko_ KS1 at Hallam Primary

Minsa Hakim_ L-KS2 at Oasis Academy Fir Vale

Sibghatallah Tareen_ U-KS2 at Oasis Academy Fir Vale

Ved Seelam_ KS3 at Birkdale Senior School

Yi Nuo Chen_ KS3 at Star Mandarin School

Jessica Chen_ KS4 at Star Mandarin

Anne Yates_ KS5 at Tapton School

2022 - Tiger

View entries at KS1

View at KS2 Lower

View entries at KS2 Upper

View entries at KS3

View entries at KS4

View entries at KS5

Overall Winners, judged by the Confucius Institute.

KS1, Marvin from Birkdale Prep-School

KS2L, Samuel from Greystone Primary School

KS2U, Sophie from Hallam Primary

KS3, Amy Hobson from Yewlands Academy

KS4, Emily from Sheffield High

KS5, Charley at King Edward VII School

Online Sino-British Children Painting Exhibition 2022

Chinese New Year Painting Competition for Schools has attracted participates from Peking University Elementary School (PKUEC), China. To promote cultural exchanges between the UK and China, the First Online Exhibition, features Winning paintings submitted from the Competition for Schools- jpg image, as well as additional supporting materials, such as greetings in video formats.

All the materials submitted belong to the individual child and school, whose right of authorship and ownership will be respected and retained. SCI and PKUEC will have publishing right in this cultural activity.

Click to see CI_ CNY Arts competition, We are Friends

2021 - Ox

Flickr photos

Click to view school's winning entries and some individual submissions

Submissions

The Zodiac Ox Art Competition was opened to schools, as well as to individuals.

From schools: one First Prize winner and two Runner-ups at each Key Stage category and at each participating school.

From Individuals: one First Prize, one Second Prize and one Third Prize, at both adults entries and children's entries.

Number of participating schools was low, compared with previous years. However, the feedback was still encouraging.

"Happy New Year to you all from all the staff and pupils at Town Field Primary School Doncaster. The children have really enjoyed taking part. These are our totals: 74 entries at Y1 through to Y6, a mixture of class and remote learning work."

"Thank you for doing this competition, it means a lot to the children to have some tiny bit of normality in their lives."

"I lead with enthusiasm; I think my students share my love of creating art. And with this continuing situation your competition has given them a focal point and rekindled their energy and enthusiasm for creation."

2020 - Rat

View entries at Flickr

18 schools had took part in this Competition. On 27th January 2019, artwork exhibition, plus a prize giving ceremony, were held at Sheffield City Hall.

The Overall Winners across the 18 schools:
KS1 category _ Maria at Porter Croft C of E Primary School
KS2 Lower _ Eunha Ryu at Westbourne School
KS2 Upper _ Berfin Balaman at Nether Green School Art Club
KS3_ Zach Watson at Birkdale School

2019 - Pig

Flickr photos

Click to see all entries at KS1

Click to see all entries at KS2 Lower

Click to see all entries at KS2 Upper

Click to see all entries at KS3

Click to see all entries at KS4

Click to see all entries at KS5 / Six-Form

Submissions

Around 2000 pupils submitted entries from 38 schools, including:
Anns Grove, 61 pupils,
Dobcroft Infant, 180 pupils
Killamarsh Infant, 53 pupils,
Nether Green Infant, 47 pupils,
Nether Green Junior, 105 pupils,
Star Mandarin School, 150 pupils,
Stradbroke Primary, 27 pupils,
Tinsley Meadows Primary, 360 pupils
Town Field Primary, Doncaster, 44 pupils
Walkley Primary. 248 pupils
Westways Primary, 180 pupils

On the 6 February 2019, a prize giving ceremony was held and the overall winners across the 38 schools were announced.
KS1_ Isla Allard from Meersbrook Bank Primary School
KS2 Lower _ Siddharth Satyawadi from Birkdale Prep School
KS2 Upper _ Sarah Dahmani from Nether Edge Primary School
KS3_ Simon Peng from Birkdale Senior School

No KS4 and KS5 overall winners, because there were less than 5 entries at each category.

2018 - Dog

Flickr photos

Click to see all entries at KS1

Click to see all entries at KS2 Lower

Click to see all entries at KS2 Upper

Click to see all entries at KS3

Click to see all entries at KS4

Click to see all entries at KS5 / Six-Form

2017 - Rooster

Flickr photos

Click to see all KS1 entries

Click to see all KS2L entries

Click to see all KS2U entries

Click to see all KS3 entries

Click to see all KS4 entries

Click to see all Sixth Form entries

2016 - Monkey

226 entries from 40 schools across Yorkshire and Humber, and Derbyshire, were received and displayed at Sheffield City Hall as part of Chinese New Year show.

86 1st-prize winners at each participating schools, plus 6 Overall Winners at each Category, received their prizes from the Lord Mayor of Sheffield.

Flickr photos

Click to see entries at Key Stage 1

Click to see entries at Key Stage 2 Lower

Click to see entries at Key Stage 2 Upper

Click to see entries at Key Stage 3

Click to see entries at Key Stage 4

Click to see entries at Six Form

Overall Winners 2016

2015 - Goat

160 entries from 35 schools across Yorkshire and Humber and Derbyshire were received. All entries were displayed at Sheffield City Hall as part of Chinese New Year Show.

There were 52 first prize winners, plus 2nd and 3rd prize winners at each participating school. 1st-prize winners, including 4 Overall Winners, received their prizes from the Lord Mayor of Sheffield.

Flickr photos

Click to see entries at Key Stage 1

Click to see entries at Key Stage 2

Click to see entries at Key Stage 3

Click to see entries at Key Stage 4

2014 - Horse

120 entries from schools in Yorkshire and Humber and Derbyshire were received. After careful judging, 36 winners and 56 runner-ups were selected. The Painting Exhibition and the Prize-giving Ceremony took place at Sheffield City Hall as part of Chinese New Year Show.