Fiji Airways, Fiji’s National Airline, together with Film Fiji, is pleased to announce the launch of a new schools-based national art competition to promote artistic creativity among secondary school students, as well as encourage a general appreciation of creative expression.
Called the ‘Fiji Airways Art Competition’ as part of the 2014 Film Fiji Kula Film Awards, the art competition will run for two months, and winners announced on the final night of the Kula Awards.
Stefan Pichler, Fiji Airways Managing Director and CEO commented: “The talents of young Fijians are not limited to just the classroom or the sports fields. We know there’s genuine passion and creativity for visual arts so we’re only too happy to lend our support by way of the Fiji Airways Art Competition. Film Fiji is doing an excellent work to introduce students to video production and dance art skills, so the art competition will complement this.”
He added: “Now in addition to students who gain recognition for themselves and their schools through academia and sports, there will be students who will carve recognition through art.”
Film Fiji Acting CEO, Ms Florence Swamy said, “Developing the local creative industry is important. Through this medium, Film Fiji hopes to nurture the interest of young Fijians towards the creative arts and to the many opportunities available through the development of inherent talents.”
Ms Swamy added that with careful nurturing and appropriate training, youths with natural artistic abilities have the potential to make unique contributors to their communities.
Participating schools who have registered with Film Fiji for the art competition will submit initial works of art on behalf of their students. Students will be shortlisted from these submissions, and the selected finalists will attend an educational art workshop instructed by contemporary painter and artist, Rebecca Lloyd. This workshop will reveal to the students the theme of the final artwork they will submit for the competition.
The top five artworks will be shortlisted and artists brought to Suva for the final day of the Film Fiji Kula Film Awards. A final adjudication will be made after each of the five finalists present their work before the Awards’ judges and audience. The winner will receive $1000 for themselves and $1500 for their school. Another cash prize of $500 will also be offered to the student with the most popular piece of art, promoted through the Fiji Airways Facebook page.
Rebecca Lloyd says the competition is designed to not only get students to pour their artistic skills on canvas, it will also teach them to promote their work before an audience.
“The ability to market your artwork is just as important as the ability to create it. Artists who have the ability to explain their artwork publicly will have an easier time making a career out of it. The Fiji Airways Art Competition will teach young artists to do just that.”