Catholic schools from the Diocese of Wollongong are invited to take part in The Christmas Story 2022  – a visual arts exhibition and competition for children in Stage 3 (Years 5 and 6). This is an initiative of the Catholic Education Offices in Wollongong and Sydney to celebrate and explore children’s creative and artistic ability in illustrating the Christmas story.

This exhibition and competition provides the opportunity for teachers to select artworks from Years 5 and 6 to share with the wider community and create a greater awareness of the role of the arts in Religious Education. Children can develop deeper appreciation for their talents and recognise the value of the arts in expressing understandings of the Catholic faith.
 

Subject Matter

The subject matter is drawn from the Religious Education Curriculum and includes additional verses from the Gospel of Matthew. See the full text of the below Scripture passages here. 

Please note: Throughout the supplied resources various translations of the Scripture passages have been used, mostly NRSV (New Revised Standard Version). Schools are encouraged to use a translation of the Bible normally used within their school community that both students and teachers are familiar and confident with. 

This year the judges are again looking for artworks that reflect an understanding and interpretation of one of the scripture verses that also include authentic imagery from the time of Jesus. This imagery can be represented in any style. Students can consider tableware, clothing, architecture, vegetation, food and other aspects of their visual representation of the Scriptures. 

See our Resources Page for further inspiration and examples of artworks from previous years.

How to enter

Each school in the diocese is invited to select a maximum of six (6) artworks for the exhibition and competition – three (3) from Year 5 and three (3) from Year 6.

• Quality of presentation is a criteria for selection and awarding of prizes.

• Each artwork must be ready to be hung to comply with exhibition guidelines of the Wollongong City Art Gallery. Artworks that do not comply with guidelines will be eliminated from judging and therefore unable to progress further in the process.
  
  Artworks can be framed (please do not send frames with glass). Alternatively, artworks can be painted on a stretched canvas or a canvas board or mounted on foam-core within the frame.
  
  “Ready for hanging” includes 2 hooks from suggestions below. If mounted with the following suggestions, no string or wire is required.

• Diptych, triptych and other multiple-image artworks MUST be mounted on one board.

• Minimum size for artwork is 30cm x 40cm; Maximum size is 80cm x 120cm.

• Artworks may be landscape or portrait mode.

• Each artwork entry must have a separate printed copy of the CEDoW entry template attached to the back of the work. Create a copy of the CEDoW entry template here.

• The description requires a title and brief explanation (strictly max 200 words) written by the students and is an important component of the judging criteria. Please note, the student’s intention for the artwork, media selected and scriptural connection are especially important for the awards.

• An electronic copy of the template must be added to the Submission Google Form for each of the 6 entries from your school. Only the entries you are submitting need to be included in this Google Form.

• Each entry must be accompanied with an audio recording of each student reading their description. This recording needs to be titled with the student's name and added to the google form.

• [New Step in 2022] Each entry must be accompanied by a photograph of the student in school uniform holding their artwork.

• Before submitting entries teachers should proofread the writing of students to ensure that the templates are free of spelling and grammatical errors.
   

Validating the artwork of students

Teachers should be able to validate each artwork as that of the child and have witnessed the child create a significant portion of the work at school. Teachers must also ensure any artists or artworks that have inspired any entry are acknowledged.
  
See our Resources Page and Key Dates Page for more information.
 

competition DUE DATE

Artworks submissions are due no later than: 

• 5pm on Thursday, 15 September 2022 to Emmaus Centre (5 Allman St) Campbelltown; OR

• 4pm on Friday, 16 September 2022 to The Annexe (65-67 Burelli St) Wollongong

Please see our Key Dates Page for more information on the judging and exhibition dates.
  

ENQUIRIES

For further information please contact either:

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