Competition launches to showcase young people’s art to world leaders at COP26

An art competition for young people under the age of 16 across the UK has launched, with the winners having their artwork displayed at the COP26 Climate Change conference this year in Glasgow.

The Creative Earth competition is part of a UK Government initiative, Together for our Planet, and launched in collaboration with the WWF to encourage young people to use the power of art to capture their hopes and dreams for the planet in the future.

To kickstart the competition, Cel Spellman, star of Netflix’s White Lines and BBC Radio 1, surprised a group of year seven students at Ormiston Venture Academy in Great Yarmouth via a special Zoom call.

Cel invited the children to be the first to get creative. The students were then given the opportunity to talk about their chosen artwork creations with Cel and explain why it is important to them.

The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26, is the 26th United Nations Climate Change conference. It will be held in Glasgow, from 1 to 12 November 2021.

Cel, who is a WWF ambassador said: “The Creative Earth art competition is such a unique and exciting opportunity for children from across the UK to have their voice heard and show world leaders exactly the kind of world they want to live in, inherit and pass on to future generations.

“I’m asking as many under-16s as possible to please get involved and be part of something special as we aim to create a better, greener, sustainable future and call on world leaders to commit to making that a reality and bring about the change we so desperately need to see, reminding them it’s young people who will live with the consequences of our actions now.”

A celebrity panel including ex-Spice Girl and children’s author Geri Horner, presenter for numerous acclaimed BBC TV series Simon Reeve, award-winning wildlife photographer Alfie Bowen, chair of the Glasgow School of Art Muriel Gray and COP president Alok Sharma MP. Special prizes will be awarded for the best artwork in each age group. Judges will also select the best pieces to be displayed at the COP26 summit in November this year.

Alok Sharma, COP26 president said: “Across the world, young people are leading the call for climate action and we want to make sure this is properly recognised at COP26 in Glasgow. That is why I hope young people from across the country will seize this opportunity to showcase their vision for a greener future.”

The Together For Our Planet campaign aims to work with businesses, civil society groups, schools and the public across the UK to help build awareness around the importance of tackling climate change in the run up to the COP26.

Find out more about the competition and enter now on the Together for our Planet https://together-for-our-planet.ukcop26.org/creative-earth/