AN EXHIBITION of the winning entries in Pershore Plum Festival’s Young People’s Art Competition will be held later this month, organisers have revealed.
Bringing to life the Vale of Evesham’s market gardening heritage was the challenge set by the Plum Festival in conjunction with Worcestershire’s Market Gardening Heritage Project (MGH) in their first-ever art competition aimed at four to 18-year-olds in the Wychavon area.
More than 300 entries were received and judged by Pershore’s Banksy Mr Sce and the artwork will be on show at Pershore Town Hall from August 21.
Worcestershire’s Archive and Archaeological Service MGH project plotted the area’s remaining hovels – the name given to buildings used for market gardening.
Three have now been restored as heritage sites and the team also interviewed local people about their memories of market gardening all of which contributed to a Schools Resource Pack.
Images from the era, letters written by children in 1933 were also included in the pack which schools were encouraged to inspire artwork for the competition.
More than 300 entries were received using every possible medium including drawing, painting, collage, and photography.
Mr Sce, along with local artist and former chair of the Worcestershire Organ Donation committee, Michael Amies BEM were charged with finding the winners.
Winners will receive individual art-themed prizes along with art supplies for their school at a presentation on first day of the exhibition. Their artwork along with a selection from the highly commended entries will go on display there until August 29 and from September 2 the exhibition will move to No 8 Arts Centre in Pershore.
Plum Festival organiser, Angela Taylor said: “We were overwhelmed not only by the number of children who took part but also the quality of the work which made the job of judging really difficult.
“Given this is the second year the festivities surrounding the Plum Festival have been curtailed due to Covid, this has certainly lifted everyone’s spirits and we hope the joy is shared by the people visiting the exhibition,” she added.
