Art Bytes Launches Second National Inter-School Art Competition

On The Table Read, “the best arts magazine in the UK“, Art Bytes inter-school art competition is open to registration from schools across England now!

After a highly successful inaugural year, in which almost 100 schools from across England participated, Art Bytes is now open for registrations from primary, secondary and SEND schools across the country! But hurry, teachers can only sign up until Christmas…

Art Bytes

Featuring bespoke, virtual art gallery technology, Art Bytes is an inter-school art competition based on 10 years’ experience leading our forerunner programme dot-art Schools in the North West. Over 10,000 children and young people have benefited from the scheme, following research from by Liverpool Hope University and Curious Minds which proves the impact of the Art Bytes programmes in nurturing talent, raising ambition and developing confidence.

Schools submit their students artwork which is then showcased on the Art Bytes website, where each participating school has their own page. The judges, who include representatives from the National Society for Education in Art & Design (NSEAD), The Big Draw, Shape Arts and Access Art, shortlist these works, then select a top three from each school.

In the spring, Art Bytes hold an online public vote, where anyone from around the world can vote for their favourite shortlisted piece. Finally, the judges have the very hard job of selecting regional and national winners.

The winning work from each school is exhibited in our specially designed Art Bytes Virtual Gallery (you can see the 2022 winners on display until the new year). All winners are also invited to a special Celebration Event at our cultural venue partner for their region. Here, certificates are given out, regional and national winners announced and celebrated, and the Virtual Gallery exhibition is launched.

Schools Taking Part

Teacher Ms Armstrong from the Thomas Clarkson Academy had this to say about participating:

“It has been an absolute pleasure taking part in Art Bytes. We are definitely going to take part again next year. It has been such an enriching experience for the students, and they are so proud of their achievements. The celebration event was brilliant also to get them and their families actually into creative spaces to show off their work.”

Mrs Slater from Pewsey Vale School added:

“As a small secondary school, I always encourage our creative students to explore all available opportunities to exhibit their work outside of school. Art Bytes has provided such a platform, which has sparked joy in our school. For year 9, it can be the turning point for many students in choosing a direction of study for the next two years. Having the Art Bytes exhibition opportunity has given our students a real sense of pride and confidence in their creative abilities. The public voting system allows for everyone to be involved in the process. We are thrilled to be taking part.”

Art Education

Arts Education in schools is absolutely vital, but teachers are more and more stretched. Art is often pushed out of the curriculum due to other pressures, leading to a 28% decline in arts GCSE entries arts since 2010.

The Cultural Learning Alliance reports that:

• Participation in structured arts activities can increase cognitive abilities by 17%.
• Learning through arts and culture develops skills and behaviour that lead children to do better in school.
• Students from low-income families who take part in arts activities at school are three times more likely to get a degree.
• Employability of students who study arts subjects is higher, and they are more likely to stay in employment

These facts, and the knowledge that the UK’s Creative Industries is growing at 4 times the rate of the rest of the economy, and that creative jobs will be the most resistant to AI and automation in the future, only serve to highlight the integral part that creativity should play in schools.

Art Bytes helps teachers celebrate creativity, nurture talent and raise ambition in a simple but highly effective way, building confidence and supporting wellbeing in young people.

Register For Art Bytes Now

Art Bytes is open to all Primary, Secondary and SEND schools in England.

Watch a short video about Art Bytes here.

Schools can find out more and sign up NOW at artbytes.co.uk/registration until the end of December 2022.

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