By Ogova Ondego
Published January 13, 2015
Young people and schools in Kenya have the chance to get a share of Sh290,000 prize money in an annual art competition before May 1, 2015.
Mobile Art School in Kenya (MASK), the British charity that is organising the MASK Prize competition says one need not be ‘good at art’ but that ‘anyone who is good at thinking can participate!’
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MASK says any one under the age of 25 who lives in Africa, or is a member of the African Diaspora may submit one’s work as an individual or as a group.
Primary and secondary schools, polytechnics, colleges and universities, too, are eligible to enter their work for the MASK 2015 Prize.
The organisers of the competition say ‘the artwork should be original and unaided’ and that there is no limit to the artworks one may submit. Participation is free.
Held on the theme “Young People – The Creative Nation”, MASK 2015 is looking for any size of paintings, drawings, prints, collages on paper, canvas or board; photographs and videos not longer than three minutes of people singing, dancing, reading poetry, performing a play, or playing music instrument(s).
MASK defines Creativity and innovation as “an ability to think of ways to improve things, make them better for yourself or people. Creative can be scientists, doctors, farmers, engineers, not only artists. Leading education specialists and businessmen say that Creativity is the major skill that the young people need in order to succeed in the ‘innovation’ economy of the 21st century…”
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That means creators and innovators can make their art on just about subject, the keywords here being ‘ideas’, ‘solutions’, ‘new’, ‘different’, ‘unusual’, ‘better’.
The prizes—supported by Rivers Foundation and Ann Brener to the tune of Sh290 000—will be given to five artists and two schools as follows:
a). Individual Artist (works on paper/canvas or photographs):
1st Prize: Sh50 000
2nd Prize: Sh25 000
3rd Prize: Sh25 000.
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b). Individual Artist (music/performance videos):
One prize of Sh50 000.
c). Young Artist (children under age of 12)
Ann Brener Award of Sh40 000
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c). Schools (any works):
Two prizes of Sh50 000 each.
The MASK Prize will be awarded in Nairobi, Kenya, in May 2015 and the winning artworks exhibited at the Saatchi Gallery in London, England, in September 2015.
Entries may be submitted via mobileartschoolinkenya.org/mask-prize/how-to-enter.html or by post, NOT via email.
Further information or clarification may be sought via contact@mobileartschoolinkenya.org.
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