The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society held an inspirational art workshop at Roseburn Primary School in Edinburgh in December and invited champion artist of the 2017 Fringe Schools Poster Competition Jon Bishop, aka The Grey Earl, to deliver a workshop for a class of primary five children aimed at developing positive attitudes towards expressive arts.
As part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe’s 70th anniversary celebrations, schoolchildren in Scotland will provide the inspiration for the 2017 Fringe Programme cover. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society have announced plans for the relaunch of the Fringe Schools Poster Competition, supported by Virgin Money, that will see winning competition entries judged in three different age categories, Primary 1 – 3, Primary 4 –7, and Senior 1 – 6. Pupils are unrestricted in their creativity; photographs, poems, animations – all forms of expressive arts – will be accepted as potential sources of inspiration.
Talking about the relaunch of the competition, Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “The Fringe Schools Poster Competition has been an integral part of the Fringe for 36 years and we are very proud that the competition is one of the longest running arts outreach programmes in Scotland. The Fringe prides itself on its ability to applaud diversity, promote inclusivity and inspire creativity in those who take part. The Fringe Schools Poster Competition was established with these values at its core, encouraging children to get creative. This year promises to be a very special year for the Fringe and I am delighted that we will be revealing not just one, but three individual programme covers, inspired by school pupils in Scotland.”
In addition to three overall winners, who will receive £150 in cash and an arts and culture voucher, plus £250 in cash and an arts and culture voucher for their school, 14 regional winners will also be selected. Their work will be featured in an exhibition of shortlisted entries that will take place at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh between May and August 2017, before touring to locations around Scotland. A new trophy for special achievement in a school will also be awarded in 2017.
To support the creative agenda in schools the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society has also developed new learning resources for Literacy and Expressive Arts which are available to all from the edfringe website. A new online submission form is now open and school pupils have until the March 3, 2017 to submit their entries.