Northumbria in Bloom

CHILDREN'S PAINTING COMPETITION

The Northumbria in Bloom painting competition is held to encourage an interest in nature. Every year over six thousand children from schools across the region take part. The pictures by the winners and runners up are then published in a popular calendar.

There are seven categories:

Group 1: up to and including 6 year olds
Group 2: 7 and 8 year olds
Group 3: 9 and 10 year olds
Group 4: 11 to 13 year olds
Group 5: 14 to 18 year olds
Group 6: special school pupils up to 12 years old
Group 7: special school pupils aged 13 to 18

The schools select the best painting from each age group and send them to the local authority, which in turn selects a short list to go forward to the finals.

Emily Field, Whickham Northumbria in Bloom Art Committee then has the difficult task of selecting the first, second and third place winners in each category. All the finalists (usually around 120) receive a Certificate and have their photograph taken with a celebrity at the Awards Presentation. The winner in each group receives a trophy for their school and the first, second and third prize winners also receive a gift token.

The awards ceremony takes place in June each year at the Gateshead Civic Centre by courtesy of the competition sponsors, Gateshead Council with a local celebrity. The paintings are exhibited at various locations in Gateshead during the summer. For the results of the 2008 competition click here.

A painting by Nicholas Permain from Gateshead was used for the Northumbria in Bloom poster for the 2008 competition. You can download it here to print.

The 2009 calendar is available by contacting Tina Ryder (0191 284 7666) or Celia Hunter (0191 433 6908). Price £3 + p&p. They will be on sale at the Gateshead Summer Flower Show (1st, 2nd, and 3rd August), as usual.

If your school or group wishes to enter the competition in 2009, you should contact your local authority to see if they intend to enter the main competion. To help you to see if you are eligible, you can download the Entry Rules here and the Entry Form here.