Deadline Approaching for Annual Edinburgh Festival Fringe Schools Poster Competition

Budding young artists have until Friday 04 March to submit their designs and be in with a chance of having their artwork featured as the official poster of the 2016 Fringe and have their work seen by thousands in this year’s competition supported by Virgin Money.

Head of Sponsorship Marketing at Virgin Money, Andrew Nicholson said, “Virgin Money is thrilled to support the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Schools Poster Competition. It is a brilliant initiative which inspires the imagination and creativity of Scotland’s young artists and it has become an important tradition over the 35 years it has been running.”

In 2015, an impressive 1,066 school children from Edinburgh entered last year’s competition that was won by a seven-year-old John Imray from St Mary’s School in Melrose. John’s Art Teacher Deborah Wood said, “The day of the prize-giving ceremony has provided John with memories that will last a lifetime. … All of us at St Mary’s were thrilled to see John and his artwork in the press and of course to see his artwork on all of 2015’s varied merchandise. The prize money was a fabulous boost to our art department and has enriched the learning of our school community.

The competition is open to all five to 16-year-old pupils at schools in Scotland (download entry form).

The cash prizes for the top three artists and their schools are:

1st
School – £750
Pupil – £300

Runners-up (x 2)
School – £400
Pupil – £150

The winner and runners-up will also receive six tickets each for the 2016 Virgin Money Fireworks Concert in Edinburgh.

Kath M Mainland, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society said, “The competition is a fantastic way for students aged five to 16 to get creative in the classroom and inspires engagement with the arts. … the winning entry, along with the runners-up and regional winners’ designs, will form an exhibition on display in the centre of Edinburgh throughout the summer for the public to enjoy.

Entries for the Fringe Schools Poster Competition should be sent to: Schools Poster Competition, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, 180 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1QS no later than 17:00 Friday 04 March.

The 2016 Edinburgh Festival Fringe runs from 05 - 29 August