Get all artistic for Credit Union's 2016 competition

The popular annual competition which has just been launched for 2016 by Larne Credit Union Limited is aimed at illustrating the theme “Dreams are made of this.”

The Credit Union Art Competition is one of the most successful annual promotions undertaken by the Credit Union Movement and the 2016 competition aims to continue this winning formula.

The competition is about encouraging and rewarding self expression, creativity and imagination among young artists throughout Ireland.

Competition entrants are free to express their creativity using a wide variety of media.

The competition requires entrants to draw or paint posters on the theme using pencil, charcoal, pen or ink, felt-tip markets, crayon, pastel, water colours, gouache, acrylics, oils, poster colour or collage.

There are two categories – General and Special – with five age groups in each: seven years and under, eight-10 years, 11-13 years, 14-17 years, 18 years and over (and a further Group section in the Special category).

The Special Category encouraged participants with a physical or intellectual disability to submit entries in free expression without the restriction of the competition’s official theme, if they so wish.

Larne Credit Union Limited is inviting Primary, Secondary and Grammar Schools and anyone with an interest in art to enter the local competition.

Entry forms are available from the credit union offices at 31 Circular Road, Larne and at 60 High Street, Carnlough.

The closing date for entry is Friday, November 11.

The Credit Union National Art Competition is a fun event, allowing anyone interested in art to show their artistic skills. It has become a more popular event among schools each year and the organisers hope it will continue to do so.

Winners, runners-up and merit award winners at local level go on to represent the credit union at regional level and, if successful, at national level.

Local winners will receive their prizes at a local prize giving ceremony and their artwork will be displayed as part of an art exhibition in the main credit union office at 31 Circular Road, Larne.

The winning entries from all the categories will form part of next year’s calendar.

Speaking as the 2016 competition was launched, Jim Long from Larne Credit Union Limited told The Times: “Following on from the great success of last year’s competition we want to encourage and reward self-expression, creativity and imagination amongst ‘all’ artists, young and old, throughout our community, so let’s go and get creative!”

Larne Credit Union Limited is affiliated to the Irish League of Credit Unions which represents 482 credit unions serving some three million members and has a sub office at 60 High Street, Carnlough.