Write on Art competition

The Paul Mellon Centre, in collaboration with Art UK, is delighted to announce Write on Art, a brand new competition for young people aged 15 to 18 studying in the UK.

With a disturbing decline in the teaching of art and art history in schools, Write on Art is designed to highlight the importance of art as an academic discipline, as well as the broader benefits of sharing ideas about art through good writing.

Write on Art is open from today (20 November 2017) to young people aged 15 to 18 studying in the UK. They are simply being asked to:

'Choose a work from the Art UK website that fascinates you and persuade your readers to share your interest and take a closer look at the artwork'

The jury, includes no less than Dr Gabriele Finaldi, Director of the National Gallery, Jackie Wullschlager, Chief Art Critic of the Financial Times, Turner Prize winner Jeremy Deller, cultural historian and broadcaster Dr Janina Ramirez and David Dibosa, Course Leader for MA Curating and Collections at Chelsea College of Arts. All are looking for an engaging writing style that will appeal to a mainstream audience, whilst also showing evidence of research.

There are two prize categories; School Years 10 and 11 (15 – 16 year olds) and School Years 12 and 13 (17 – 18 year olds). £500 will be awarded to the winning entry, with @200 for the second-placed submission and three prizes of £100 will be given to the runners-up. The winning essay in each category will be featured on the Art UK and Paul Mellon Centre websites.

Category One entrants are required to submit a piece of no more than 400 words, with 600 words for submissions in Category Two.

The competition closes on 26 February 2018.

The Paul Mellon Centre will host the award ceremony - as part of the Bedford Square Festival - on 7 July 2018.

More details on the competition, T's&C's and how to enter can be found now on the Write on Art website - writeonart.org.