The Benefits of Art Competitions

The way to stimulate multiple faculties in both young and old alike, emerging and established, while getting your name in the game.

Art Competitions provide opportunities on several levels. Today’s world, whether it’s in the classroom or the workforce, is extremely competitive.

That’s why I always have encouraged my art students to engage in art competitions and contests which help attendees prepare for “life after art” too. Art awards also provide a way to make a name for yourself and promote and sell your work.

Making Art Work For You

Whether you are an emerging artist, a young adult, middle-aged or even a senior, art knows no boundaries when it comes to the enjoyment of having a satisfying hobby or a new career in front of you.

But when you reach the stage to represent your work to the world to exhibit your precious creations, art competitions are a functional way of circulating your name into the art scene. What counts is really how you make art work for you.

I always try to stimulate students in particular youth to participate in art awards for its many reasons. Engaging in art competitions offers students of all ages some significant benefits, including:

Open to Everyone There are many types of art competitions, local, national, international and online. With a little research, you can single out the most fitting ones, as competitions are open to everyone, the utter emerging and professional, providing a chance for an artist of any stage of his or her career.

Competitive Environment Participants in art competitions, particularly children, get an early grounding to what competition means; preparing them to face the real world in later life. If it works well, to boast their confidence, yet when not to learn to continue anyhow.

Greater Exposure Both kids and adults have a great opportunity to expose their creations to the public, art lovers and critics who visit the exhibitions or see its online presence. The absence of participation in such competitions could stymie the competitive spirit of budding artists.

Networking Opportunities Art competitions often draw visitors from all strata of life. Such events provide an ideal opportunity for artists to network and build contacts that could potentially be leveraged to give them business opportunities by reaching new clients and hence provides a competitive advantage.

Being Published Apart from prize money, winners of art competitions are often published in varies publications, such as the Australian Artist Magazine and local newspapers. You might be lucky and get contacted by journalists for an interview. I always send out a media release to relevant newspapers and magazines when attending a show.

Art competitions result in more than just a successful demonstration of the artist’s talents. Preparing for competitions at anyGold Coast art school offers adults the opportunity to learn many new skills, and gain plenty of confidence that can come in handy for the rest of your life – including professional and social lives. And participating in competitions at kids art classes offers children the opportunity to learn similar skills as those taught to adults – giving them a head start for the competitive lifestyle that lies ahead.

Attending painting classes and drawing events, and participating in related art competitions, can also teach youngsters, adults and seniors invaluable lessons about learning from failure. When students studying painting or drawing classes at art schools are judged at art competitions, they learn that it’s “okay to fail”. But through those art competitions they also take home another invaluable lesson: That they need to do even better at the next art competition if they want that coveted Blue Ribbon!

For information about up and running art competitions in the Gold Coast area go to my competition page or for Australia-wide awards visit ArtPrizes.