Winners of art competition to be unveiled in newly named States rooms
19 May 2023
Winning entries into the 'My Island' Art Competition, which celebrates female artists in Jersey, will be revealed at an unveiling event next week on Thursday 25 May.
Thirty pieces have been shortlisted across the four age categories, which were open to female artists aged 7-11, 12-15, 16-18 and 19+. The shortlisted works span a variety of media including painting, watercolour, photography, digital illustration, linocut print, and collage. The shortlist will now be assessed by a panel of judges who will select the winning piece and runners-up in each category. The judges are:
- Karen Shenton-Stone, Connétable of St Martin and Chair of the Privileges and Procedures Committee
- Lisa Hart, the Greffier of the States
- Katherine Wood, ArtHouse Jersey
The winning artworks will be showcased at a private unveiling event at 5pm on Thursday 25 May, then displayed in States Assembly buildings for 12 months, and prizes will be awarded to winners and runners up in each of the four age groups.
The 'My Island' art competition was launched in February as a celebration of Women's History Month, and to mark the naming of two meeting rooms in the States Chamber building after key female figures in Jersey's political history. Caroline Trachy and Ivy Forster both made history through their political pursuits: in 1922, Trachy was the first woman to try and stand for election (though she was prevented as it was illegal at that time for women to sit in the States), and in 1948, Forster became the first woman to be elected to the States Assembly.
Connétable Karen Shenton-Stone commented: "It has been a real pleasure to see the amazing and varied artwork that has been submitted for this competition. There is a huge amount of artistic talent on our Island, all the way through from the younger years up to adults. I am very proud that we are celebrating and showcasing female artists in this way, not only through the competition itself but by displaying the winning pieces in States Assembly buildings so that they can be appreciated by a wider audience.
"I am also delighted that some of the winning works will be displayed in the Caroline Trachy and Ivy Forster rooms, which are being named after these political pioneers to honour their legacies and to mark the progress still being made towards a more balanced and diverse States Assembly."
