10th November 2008 - 16th January 2009
Following its successful exhibition at the National Galleries of Scotland, art work by the best young artists in the country will go on show at the Pentagon Gallery in Glasgow. For the first time outside of the National Galleries group entries to the competition will be shown alongside the fifty individual award winning works in this dynamic exhibition. The National Galleries of Scotland Art Competition for Schools is supported by Scottish Widows, who are sponsoring the competition for a third consecutive year.
With a record-breaking 4,016 entries received this year, entrants faced tough competition in all six categories: nursery, primary schools (P1-3 and P4-7), secondary schools, special education schools and groups. Competition entries were based on selected NGS works, with the aim of encouraging Scottish schoolchildren to interact with and seek inspiration from works in their national collection. The competition was launched online in December 2007 when schools from all over Scotland were invited to enter. Thousands of artworks were subsequently received from places as far apart as Ballindalloch and the Borders. This will be the first stage in a two part tour for the exhibition which will move to Raigmore Hospital, Inverness later in the year.
Praising the high standard of entries this year, Linda McClelland, event organiser, said: “The standard of entries received this year has been outstanding, clearly demonstrating the creativity being nurtured in Scottish schools. I am delighted that the exhibition is to go on tour once again, making it easily accessible to the public throughout the coming year.”
Lord Leitch, Chairman of Scottish Widows, said: “This competition offers a great opportunity to encourage creativity in children and Scottish Widows is delighted to be supporting the National Galleries once again this year. With such an overwhelming response from across the country, competition for winning prizes has been tough and I would like to congratulate all the winners. I’m sure that the experience will have helped nurture the talents of these budding artists which will be appreciated by all those who visit the exhibitions as it tours Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness.” 
The National Galleries of Scotland Art Competition for Schools 2008
