09 Feb 2010
15 finalists come out on top in Welsh libraries arts competitionReference: PR709
News Category: Press Release
The finalists have now been chosen from more than 1600 entries in the first ever National Libraries Arts competition - Express Yourself!
Andrew Green, the National Librarian, was on the judging panel and said: “I was very impressed with the overall standard of entries; it’s obvious that people have put a lot of time, thought and effort into their entry. The panel of judges had a really tough time picking the final 15 from the diverse range of entries including films, paintings, short stories and sculptures, and all from different ages. There are some wonderful entries and we wish all the finalists well in the finals!”
Express Yourself encouraged people of all ages to show off their creative talents with a generic theme of ‘libraries’. Entrants could choose from a variety of arts including creative writing, dancing, drama, music, animation, painting, photography, drawing or sculpture; and entries were received from all four corners of Wales.
The finalists will now be invited to a special awards ceremony at The Senedd on 25th February where they will win first, second or third prize (£500, £250 or £100 respectively) and get the chance to meet actress and writer Ruth Jones.
One of the 15 finalists hoping to win the top prize is our very own Craig Pearce of Glamorgan Gates, Merthyr Tydfil. Craig's entry ‘Granny Shares Her Library Book’ caught the judge's eyes, and he is now in the running to win the competition. We wish Craig well at the final!
A national exhibition showcasing the finalists work will go on tour to venues across Wales starting at the Senedd in Cardiff on the 25th February, then heading west to Swansea.
Competition organisers, Nicola Williams and Jane Purdie said, “We would like to say a big thank you to all the judges for doing such a great job and also to the hundreds of people who entered the competition. We have been extremely pleased with the response, there are some fantastic entries and I’m sure we will be using many of the entries in future library promotions to encourage people to visit their local library.”
The Express Yourself competition is one part of the National Marketing Campaign for libraries in Wales, which forms a central part of Libraries for Life, the Welsh Assembly Government's strategy for libraries in Wales.
For more details on the competition and news on the winners, please visit library.wales.org/artscomp/ or telephone (01978) 297437.