This summer, we're giving you the opportunity to get creative and express your uniqueness with our new Blank Page competition for teens this summer!

The competition is open to all teens aged 10-18, and entrants are invited to experiment with their choice of artistic mediums including sculpture, paint, writing, filmography, and anything else! You can interpret the competition themes however you'd like.

The winning entry will receive a bespoke 1:1 tutorial session with your choice of Blank Page professional artist!

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What's involved?

It's simple - create something unique to you, in any medium you like! Each entry should be a creative representation of one of the following themes:

• Beginnings
• The future
• Our Earth
• Identity
• My dream

How you interpret and express these themes is entirely up to you – be as creative as you wish! You can use some skills you have learnt in a previous Blank Page Workshop, showcase a talent that you have or try out something completely new and different. Suggestions include: a piece of artwork in a medium of your choice, collage, photography, digital artwork, clay/paper sculpture, mosaic, a poem or a song.

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The prizes

• 1st Place: 1:1 bespoke tutorial with a Blank Page artist of your choice
• 2nd Place: An original one-off artwork from Chris James, award-winning poet and papercut artist
• 3rd Place: £30 voucher for The Works

A selection of highly-commended runner ups will be awarded £10 book tokens. All entrants will receive a Blank Page competition certificate.

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How to enter

All entries must be accompanied by an entry form, signed by a parent/guardian to give permission for entry.

• Anyone aged 10-18 can enter. You don't have to have attended one of our previous Blank Page workshops to be eligible.
• Physical entries should be handed in at your local library with this accompanying application form.
• Alternatively, you can submit your entry online via this form.

One entry per person per category.

Competition opens Monday 22 July and closes at midday on Monday 9 September. Winners will be announced on Wednesday 18 September.

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Competition artists

The winner of the competition may choose one of the following Blank Page artists to have a tutorial with. Tutorials will be 1-2 hours long and where possible, will be held in a library of the winner’s choice. Tutorials will be bespoke and focus on creative work of the winners choice. Tutorials will be conducted in autumn/winter 2024 with a mutually agreeable time between the artist of choice and the winner.

• Alice Andrea-Ewing: artist and founder-sculptor
• Joel Millerchip: image maker and illustrator
• Chris James: award-winning poet, author, musician and artist
• Michelle Brace: digital and media artist
• Gillian Allard: photographic artist
• Sian Burford-Thomas: theatre maker and practitioner

You can read more about these artists below.

If you have any queries, please contact Katie Puls, Youth Activity Producer, by emailing katie.puls@suffolklibraries.co.uk or calling 07380 193784.