Paint the towns! Schools urged to take part in competition

As primary school pupils across Ireland are submitting their entries for the annual Someone Like Me art competition, the National Disability Authority has extended the competition deadline to Friday, November 25, to facilitate those who are yet to add the finishing touches to their projects.

The prestigious competition, which is organised by the National Disability Authority, has seen thousands of primary school pupils submit projects over the last six years, all of which were inspired by their learning about inclusivity and diversity through the medium of art.

This year’s competition invites Ireland’s 500,000+ pupils attending over 3,000 mainstream and special primary schools, as well as those who are home schooled, to take part in what has become an annual campaign to help develop more positive attitudes towards persons with disabilities. It offers a range of prizes up to the value of €1,250 and is open to all primary school pupils from junior infants to sixth class.

Encouraging pupils to take part, Minister of State with special responsibility for disability, Anne Rabbitte, said that entries are welcome from individual pupils, class groups or even a whole-school as a combined effort.

“This is an important opportunity to learn about disability by placing ability under the spotlight as a way of fostering positive attitudes amongst all our young people to enable everyone to feel a valued member of society,” she said.

“Entries can come in all shapes and sizes and can be anything from a poster or collage to a papier-mâché or mixed-media sculpture. And already we have received an exceptional number of incredibly creative entries from pupils who have worked on their projects as part of their classwork.

“I would like to wish everyone who is entering this year’s competition the very best of luck and I look forward to announcing the county winners and overall winner in due course.”

There will be a junior and senior category winner in every county, along with an overall national winner.

FURTHER DETAILS

More information can be found at www.someonelikemecompetition.ie