This is a call to arms for young artists. For all those aged between 5 and 22, this eco-art competition is a great opportunity to spread their thoughts; they can express their views on the environmental crisis and support the fight against climate change by inspiring sustainability through their creations.
EarthX is an international non-profit organisation working in the environmental sector. Its mission is to educate and inspire individual citizens and organisations to get actively involved. It strives to achieve a more sustainable future, one that is cleaner and healthier everywhere and for everyone in the planet, for future generations.
It began in Dallas in 2011 as Earth Day Texas, an outdoor event intended to redefine the future. Today it is a proud member of IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, composed of both governmental and civil organisations. It is a global authority on the state of the natural world and in defining the measures needed to safeguard it, thanks to the authority of its 1300 members and the input of more than 15000 experts.
Trammell S. Crow, its founder, created a platform where anyone can join. It brings together a TV with original content, films and programmes on demand, a film festival and a forum for the member community. The idea is to connect like-minded individuals who share the same principles and care for the environment by sharing their own ideas and suggestions to explore sustainable solutions in 5 major areas of interest: Land, Water, Energy, City and Climate.
This media product, created together with social entrepreneur Bill Shireman, also embodies a deep political vocation in the United States. It represents an attempt to redirect public funding into solutions that can unite the majority of Americans, from left to right.
How can you participate in the eco-art competition “Plant the Seed”?
Aspiring artists can apply by submitting either two- or three-dimensional artworks illustrating the given theme They may use any technique, medium or combination thereof within the limits set in the official rules. They will compete in categories according to age groups.
The theme of this eco-art competition is, indeed, quite broad, allowing for many aspects to be addressed. The official website proposes some: from the design of a rain garden to the protection of a reservoir; from the creation of a community garden supporting an urban area to regenerative agriculture. Planting a tree, however trivial it may seem, is also one of the suggestions: it helps to counter deforestation, increases CO2 capture and protects the habitat of wildlife.
Interpretation can also be more imaginative; planting a seed, in fact, is a universally known metaphore of undertaking an initiative. It depicts how a sustainable solution can flourish in the face of any problem.
Applications opened on 26 May 2021 and will close on 24 January 2022 so, if you are interested, you can still join the eco-art competition. First and second place winners will receive a cash prize and honourable mentions will be given as well.
What is the purpose of an art competition for young people?
The objective of this art competition is twofold: to give students a voice, to let them express their vision of the environmental issue, be it local or global; and to provide them with a platform where they can raise awareness and then take action through their creations.
On the eve of the Global Climate Strike, in which they play a leading role, it is important to point out other ways for children and young people to express themselves. Those who sparked this green revolution are still largely unheard in their pleas for a better future. EarthX’s slogan is ‘change happens here’ and is a reminder to everyone to pick up their paintbrushes, pens, spatulas or chisels and start creating. Create something that inspires others to make our world more sustainable
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