On 14th February 2019 Surrey Wildlife Trust announces the Wild Surrey Art and Photography Competition open for entries, this year sponsored by Chessington World of Adventures Resort’s Chessington Conservation Fund.
As part of a host of activities to celebrate its 60th anniversary of protecting beautiful landscapes and wildlife in Surrey, the Trust is offering a top prize of £500 and the chance to exhibit at Guildford House Gallery from 25th May to 16thJune during Guildford Goes Wild on the High Street.
Surrey Wildlife Trust’s work to restore Surrey’s nature is all about creating thriving nature recovery networks: hedgerows acting as linear hotels for hedgehogs and birds, flowing sunny riversides with dragonflies and kingfishers darting through lush vegetation, woodland glades shimmering with primroses, blue bells or orchids and chalk grasslands buzzing with bees and a kaleidoscope of butterflies.
Exploring the connection we have with wildlife and nature, the Trust wants to encourage artists and photographers to respond to the brief in three categories: inspiring nature, wildlife under threat and wildlife adaptation in an urban environment.
Sarah-Jane Chimbwandira, chief executive of Surrey Wildlife Trust, said: “For our 60th anniversary, we want artists to capture what they love about wildlife from mini beasts to magnificent stags, rare great crested newts or celebrating inspiring landscape views or an endearing encounter with a fox or blackbird in an urban environment. It would be most poignant to receive images about how we can all work together across Surrey to help nature and wildlife thrive.”
The Wild Surrey Art and Photography competition is open to children and young people between the ages of 8 and 17 and amateur and professional artists in the adult category of age 18 and over. Entries are welcome in mixed media, photography, painting, charcoal, pen and ink, collage, print making, digitally created or textile art. The competition hopes to attract hundreds of high quality entries from artists and photographers of all ages across Surrey.
Competition entry costs £15 per artwork for adults, with a concessionary rate of £10 for Surrey Wildlife Trust members and £2 for under 18’s. Entry is open until midnight Sunday 14th April 2019.