This morning I was honoured to help announce the winner, and runners up of this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe’s Schools Poster Competition, at the Museum of Childhood in Edinburgh’s Royal Mile.

There as ‘Special Guest Artist’ I said a few words which basically consisted of, ‘Keep doing what you are doing’ as their work was amazing, and very inspiring. Below is this year’s winning poster, by seven year old John Imray. John explained to me his creation: There’s a man playing the piano at the bottom (the mouth) with the stage the square of the face and the crowd above creating the hair of the face. Absolutely amazing.

 

Congratulations to the runners up too, I don’t know how the judges decide a winner, they all look beautiful and individually very striking.

 

Children’s art can be so innocent and free, direct and instinctive – things I am always looking to achieve with my sketching. I strongly feel art and creativity is extremely important in young people, to grow self esteem and perspective, to create a personal view of the world and know that that view has merit.

 

It’s great that thanks to funding from Virgin Money, the competition which has been running since 1980, is able to continue each year and bring together over 5,000 entrants from all over Scotland. For me, and many others it is a sign of the Fringe beginning and the start of the summer.

 

Here is a photo of Kath Mainland, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society’s Chief Executive and myself congratulating winner John Imray this morning. Photograph by James Glossop.

 

Click on the link below to see a gallery of past winners of the competition. And remember to drop in to the Museum of Childhood on the Royal Mile to see this year’s winner and over 60 of the best designs from around the country. Oh, and get ready for the Fringe 😉

 

Edinburgh Festival Fringe Schools Poster Competition Gallery

Museum of Childhood