School Arts Competition- Year of the Snake| 新年生肖绘画比赛
The Year of the Snake symbolises wisdom, intuition, and grace. Those born in this year are calm, strategic, and excel at overcoming challenges with patience and insight, and we can think of no better subject to open the exciting year of 2025.
Chinese New Year Arts Competition for Schools - Year of the Snake 2025!
As the Lunar Chinese New Year approached on 29 January 2025, marking the Year of the Snake, we invited schools to participate in the celebration of this vibrant cultural festival through our Chinese New Year Arts Competition.
Not only is this an opportunity for students to showcase their artistic talents, but it also offers opportunities to schools in the awarding of Amazon vouchers and certificates presented by the University of Sheffield.
Competition Details:
Art Theme: The Zodiac Snake - with or without Chinese artistic elements and auspicious greetings.
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 judged by school (Document to download for Recording the Winners):
- First Prize Winner: £10 Amazon e-Gift Voucher
- Two Runners-up: £5 each Amazon e-Gift Voucher
Overall Winner at each category across participating schools (minimum 5 schools needed) is judged by the Confucius Institute.
Postal Address for original Winning Artwork: 2-4 Palmerston Road, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TE (Artwork entries can also be dropped off at this address)
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 an Exhibition Launch Party.
Address: Diamond Basement, Diamond Building, 32 Leavygreave Rd, Broomhall, Sheffield S3 7RD
Exhibition Dates: 13 March, 5pm - 7:30pm (Invite active upon signing up for competition)
PLEASE SIGN UP FOR OUR LAUNCH PARTY THROUGH THE GOOGLE FORM LINK:
https://forms.gle/TsHSq76GnQfmBXz29
Exhibition:
Address: Diamond Exhibition Space, Diamond Building, 32 Leavygreave Rd, Broomhall, Sheffield S3 7RD
Exhibition Duration: 13 March - 20 March, 8am - 7pm
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.
- Fill in an entry slip / word document to record winners.
- Submit the winners' artwork by 28 February, 2025, to the postal address mentioned above.
- Register your attendance for the Exhibition Launch Party
- Attend the Launch Party for the Award Ceremony, cultural experience, and receive a token of appreciation.
For any inquiries, please feel free to contact us via email at confucius@sheffield.ac.uk or reach out to us directly at 0114 2228447.
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Previous Competitions
- 2024 - Dragon
We have received winner entries from 29 schools. All entries uploaded on Flickr, Public View, all Rights Reserved.
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.
- Hesed Shin Yeung Ho - KS1 at Totley All Saints Church of England Primary School
- Phainos Shing Hei Ho - KS2L at Totley All Saints Church of England Primary School
- Lucinda Morritt - KS2U at Sheffield Girls' School
- Bruce Hui - KS3 at Sheffield Springs Academy
- Nedia Khairandish - KS4 at Meadowhead School Academy Trust
- Sixian He - KS5 at Sheffield High School for Girls
- 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!
We have received winner entries from 19 schools. All entries uploaded on Flickr, Public View, All Rights Reserved.
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
We have received winner entries from 25 schools and one Arts Club. All entries uploaded on Flickr, Public View, All Rights Reserved.
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 pupilsOn 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 SchoolNo 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
- 2017 - Rooster
Flickr photos
- 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
- 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
- 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.
Flickr photos
Click to see winners and some runner-ups at Key Stage 1 entries
Click to see winners and some runner-ups at Key Stage 2 entries
Click to see winners and some runner-ups at Key Stage 3 entries
Click to see winners and some runner-ups at Key Stage 4 entries
- 2013 - Snake
Flickr photos
Click to see 1st prize images of Infant entries from all participating schools
Click to see 1st prize images of Junior entries from all participating schools
Click to see 1st prize images of Senior entries from all participating schools
- 2012 - Dragon
Flickr photos
Click to see first prize images of Infant entries
- 2010 - Tiger
Flickr photos
Click to see top images of Infant entries
Click to see top images of Junior entries
For more information, contact:
Email: confucius@sheffield.ac.uk