Council encourages kids to produce art from waste

26th January 2006

Derry City Council is encouraging all Nursery, Primary and Secondary students in the region to participate in an innovative recycling project entitled “Art From Waste”.

The purpose of the project is to encourage the concept of REDUCE REUSE and RECYCLE whilst changing attitudes about ‘rubbish’ and what the public throw away. The goal of this innovative program is to use art to inspire people to recycle more and conserve natural resources.

Julie Hannaway, Waste Minimisation Officer with the Council says the project is an exciting one and she is hopeful that many local schools will get involved.

“Art can be an important component of environmental education as it is visual and automatically attracts attention, and can thereby reach many people. Involving students in art is a great way to instil an awareness of how discarded items can be used again and again for many different purposes. It helps children and adults understand how much we throw away in the course of a day, a week, a month, and a year,” she explained.

The competition requires student artists to create a poster with a waste recycling theme. Designs should be colourful and can be

• drawn using any medium (crayons, paints, colouring pencils, etc.)
• made in a collage fashion or be three-dimensional
• made from materials students would normally throw away (no food waste).

Up to ten posters can be submitted per school. The finished posters must be brought to Derry City Council offices on the Strand Road by Friday 24th February 2006.

Each participating school will receive a book for its library and each individual artist selected by their school to enter the competition will receive a recycled-content item.

The winning artwork will be displayed on panels at Derry City Council’s new Recycling Centre at Strathfoyle and on various Council waste management vehicles.

If you require any further information regarding the competition please contact Julie Hannaway, Waste Minimisation and Recycling Officer, Derry City Council on 02871365151 ext. 6635.

Ends

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