IHC Art Awards new “Youth Award” will showcase the talents of young people with intellectual disabilities
A new category in the IHC Art Awards is giving young artists with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to win on a national stage.
This year, the IHC Art Awards has extended their judging categories to include the Youth Award. The winner of the new Youth Award will be selected from entrants between 13-17 years old in the top 100 artworks. They are also eligible to win the People's Choice Award and first, second or third place overall.
General Manager IHC Programmes, Janine Stewart, says the decision to introduce the new category is to ensure that up-and-coming artists are seen and celebrated.
“The Youth Award is a fabulous opportunity for young artists with intellectual disabilities to compete and win on a national stage,” she says. “Every year, we get hundreds of entries from established artists, including some who have exhibited around the world. This new category means even more artists will get to share their talent with artists and art lovers alike.”
The IHC Art Awards remains an annual highlight as a showcase for the talent and achievements of people with intellectual disabilities. Entries are open to New Zealanders aged 13 or over with an intellectual disability regardless of whether they use IHC, IDEA Services or Choices NZ services.
Each year, the awards are judged by a high-profile panel of New Zealand artists. In previous years, we have hosted Boh Runga, Oscar Kightley and Otis Frizzell on the judging panel – this year’s judges will be announced soon.
Entries open for the 2021 IHC Art Awards on Saturday 1 May.
Further information on the IHC Art Awards, including entry criteria and how to enter your artwork, is available on the IHC Art Awards website.
