Young creative artists win at art competition

3 min read 20 September 2018

Santam’s Child Art project celebrated 13 winners of the 2018 art competition from across the country with their originality and interpretation of the theme ‘When I’m Big’. With over 3 772 entries nationwide, the winning entry artworks will feature on Santam’s 2019 calendar. A further 312 artworks have been selected to be featured in an online exhibition which will go live in the first quarter of 2019.

While recognizing creative arts and its integral role in basic education and early childhood development in the South African curriculum, the Child Art competition provides an opportunity for the teachers and learners who participate to receive recognition for their creativity and efforts. The competition plays an important role for learners who come from critically under-resourced schools schools.

One of the judges from the competition, Siphokazi Madlingozi, Corporate Brand Manager at Santam says, “The process of creating art is great for helping children develop their fine motor skills. Secondly, it helps children express themselves and gives us an amazing view into their lives that they may not be able to express verbally.” 

The Child Art project is one of South Africa’s oldest social investments projects and was started in 1963 to develop the notion that art is a valuable aspect of human development. Although the project is aimed at promoting love of art among youth, it also provides them with an opportunity to express thoughts and ideas creatively. Through the years the Santam project has developed into a nationally recognised initiative that now incorporates a national art competition, an online exhibition of selected artworks, an art calendar, as well as informal art centres at schools around the country.  

Tersia Mdunge, Corporate Social Investment Manager at Santam, says. “It’s inspiring to see how art implies amazing and wild imaginations from these learners.  The uniqueness and creativity from these young individuals is truly unparalleled.” 

 “It is always a surprise to see how children even when guided bring a particular perspective on the present.  There is always something different and uplifting about looking at the diversity of artworks,” says Stefan Hundt, Curator at Sanlam Art Collection. The competition plays an important role for learners and schools.  Although art is a compulsory part of the school curriculum the present schooling system undervalues art as a learning and expressive experience and undermines the development of learners by providing little or no infrastructure or moral support for the subject and the teacher. 

The 13 winners of this year’s Santam Child Art competition are: 

For more information, visit. https://www.santam.co.za/santam-child-art