“Aesthetic educators apply the theory of aesthetics to education, with the purpose of cultivating feelings.” (Cai Yuanpei). In the new epoch, aesthetic education not only helps to improve the public’s aesthetic appreciation and enhance their sense of happiness, but it also helps to enhance cultural self-confidence and cultivate correct values.
Children are the future of the motherland, and aesthetic education plays an irreplaceable role in the growth of children. Cultivating the next generation with a sound personality and creative thinking is inseparable from aesthetic education with the correct orientation. The Central Academy of Fine Arts, as the unique “double first-class” art college directly supervised by the Ministry of Education, must shoulder this social responsibility. In view of this, with the support of Shandong LUCION Public Welfare Foundation, the Central Academy of Fine Arts will co-host the “Fourth CAFA & LUCION National Competition for Calligraphy and Artworks by Children” in 2022.
The Competition is a completely non-profit event, and both CAFA and LUCION will hold this event based on the principle of fairness and justice under the supervision of the whole society. The Competition will continue to adhere to the guiding concept of “holistic education” and use the innovative guiding mode of “selection—guidance—interaction—accompanying growth” to stimulate the pursuit of artistic beauty in the growth of children across the country, and continue to promote the overall development of children’s physical and mental health across the country.
I. The Themes of the Competition
“Accompanying growth” is the original intention of CAFA x LUCION to hold this public welfare event. The participation of children will help us to summarize a teaching path suitable for the development of Chinese children’s aesthetic education. The theme should not only conform to the growth characteristics of children at a specific age, but it also helps to guide children’s growth through art. It not only reflects the characteristics of the epoch, but it also pays attention to the basic principles of children’s growth and the basic issues of aesthetic education.
The themes of this Competition are divided into three categories: the open theme, the theme for the group of fine arts, the theme for the group of calligraphy, and the specific content is as follows:
01. The Open Theme
Children’s growth reminds us that the education received before the age of six can have a profound impact on a child’s life. It is very important to protect children's nature, satisfy and correctly guide children’s curiosity and desire to explore. Therefore, for children aged between 4 and 6, there is no theme limit for the Competition, and the topics can be formulated by the children themselves.
02. Group of Fine Arts: “My World”
Owing to the influence of the pandemic, many children began to study at home, and their relationship with the world changed. It is hoped that children can use their brushes to portray the world they live in, their ideal world and their inner world.
The world can be very small and very close within reach and it can represent the real space, plants and trees, people, affairs and scenery; the world can also be very large and fantastic, and they can create an ideal world according to their own ideas; the world can also be very unique , can be a child's inspiration, a memory, or even a dream... In short, as long as it is a sincere expression of the child’s true thoughts, it is a unique and beautiful new world.
With the theme of “My World”, the Group of Fine Arts breaks the limitations of physics and space, and fully stimulates children’s curiosity, creativity and expressive ability.
03. Group of Calligraphy: “Writing Friendship”
“Friendship” is the eternal theme of mankind. Friendships serve many important functions while a child grows, including companionship, perception, and emotion. There is no doubt that having friends and strong friendships is extremely important for children. Friendships greatly contribute to the development of a child’s social skills, as well as help to define and recognize oneself. With the normalization of the pandemic, children need more communication and exchanges, so as to relieve their minds and promote healthy growth. The transmission of friendship can be a poem, an essay, a sentence, or a letter... With the title of "Writing Friendship", they can start their calligraphy creation.
II. The Significance of the Competition
01. Provide a stage for displaying and building self-confidence for growth!
As an internationally prestigious art college, the Central Academy of Fine Arts has an influence all over the world. The official publicity of the previous three competitions has received more than 4 million views, more than 90,000 people have registered, and Chinese citizens from 33 countries and regions around the world have contributed a total of 42,772 entries (valid votes). Through the “Exhibition of Excellent Works of CAFA & LUCION National Competition for Calligraphy and Artworks by Children” held at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, the works of the children who won the competition were published in Guangming Daily, People's Daily, Global Times, Beijing Daily, Xinhuanet, NetEase News, Tencent Video, etc. The continuous attention from all walks of life to the event and the professional display platform provide a positive guidance for children’s self-cognition and self-development, and promote the construction of children’s self-confidence at the critical stage of growth.
Fan Di'an, President of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, and Mr. Rong Gang, Chairman of the LUCION Public Welfare Foundation, presented awards to the winning children in the Competition.
Fan Di'an, President of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Rong Gang, Chairman of the LUCION Public Welfare Foundation, Xu Yang, Vice President of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, and Su Xinping, Vice President of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, led the front row to participate in the opening ceremony of the Competition Exhibition.
Exhibition View of “20/21 Exhibition of Excellent Works of CAFA & LUCION National Competition for Calligraphy and Artworks by Children”
02. Provide professional support and accompany growth along with it!
The competition invites famous teachers, professors, and social experts of children’s aesthetic education from the Central Academy of Fine Arts to provide children with a “compass” for growth in the form of “famous teachers commenting on children”. The role of the Competition as a benchmark for Chinese children’s art education is well played, while adhering to the competition concept of “accompanying growth”, and transmits to society positive and healthy aesthetic education values such as “holistic education” and “differential education”. The award-winning children are invited to visit the Central Academy of Fine Arts, and teachers and experts from the Central Academy of Fine Arts who will teach the award-winning children in person, so that they can be cultivated among an artistic atmosphere of the top art institution.
The award-winning children participated in research activities at the Central Academy of Fine Arts.
The award-winning children entered the Red Brick Art Museum for a study visit.
The award-winning children walked into the Song Art Museum to visit the exhibition.
03. Treasure the footprints of growth and contribute to the wisdom of children to the future!
The shortlisted works of the Competition will be permanently collected by the School of Continuing Education of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, and the “CAFA Annual National Children's Art Education Achievement Research Report” will be published in each competition. The School of Continuing Education of the Central Academy of Fine Arts will conduct the “Visual Art Thinking Training and Children’s Development Direction Research” based on the current situation of Chinese children’s aesthetic education, and provide scientific research data for the establishment of children’s art education think tank in China. Participating children can contribute their wisdom to the future by participating in the Competition.
This Competition will continue to build an academic platform for children’s art education, and cooperate with institutions from all walks of life to establish an authoritative and academic brand of children's art education for the public. With the talent in the think tank emerging in the future, it will effectively highlight the purpose of the Competition and the participants’ successful exploration of social aesthetic education.
Group photo of the preliminary evaluation of “The Third CAFA & LUCION National Competition for Calligraphy and Artworks by Children”
“CAFA 2020/2021 National Children’s Art Education Achievement Research Report”
04. Pay attention to children’s psychological development through art healing!
On the basis of the successful holding of the previous three competitions, in the face of the impact of the normalization of pandemic prevention on people’s lives, the “Fourth CAFA & LUCION National Competition for Calligraphy and Artworks by Children” will strengthen the role of art in psychological counseling via various online and offline communication methods, paying more attention to the psychological development of children, and highlight the unique value of visual art in this period.
III. The Groups Oriented
Children under the age of 13 (inclusive) and children over the age of 4 (inclusive) (including exceptional children)
IV. Requirements for Entries
1. Content requirements: Entries should be original works with positive content, reflecting children’s unique imagination and creativity, and showing a vivid life. Calligraphy works use Chinese characters to write poems about friendship, and advocate self-composed words and sentences, with poems and explanations.
2. Category of works: This competition accepts various types of works, and the forms and materials of art works are not limited. The form of calligraphy works is not limited.
3. Work sizes:
(1) Size requirements: the maximum size of easel paintings should not exceed 75cm x 75cm; the maximum size of three-dimensional works should not exceed 50cm x 50cm x 50cm; the weight of works should not exceed 2kg; works larger than this size will be considered invalid.
(2) Size requirements for calligraphy works: the maximum size should not exceed 138 cm × 69 cm, mainly vertical works, and the size of horizontal works should not exceed 75 cm × 75 cm.
4. Sources of inspiration for works: When submitting works through the registration channel, competitors need to fill in the children's real ideas or the creative stories behind their works.
Key Dates:
Starting Date: June 6, 2022
Collection of Works: June 6, 2022 to August 28, 2022
Review of Works:
Initial review: August 31, 2022
Final review: September 9, 2022
Awarding Ceremony: September 30, 2022
Exhibition Duration: September 30, 2022 to October 20, 2022
Exhibition Venue: Central Academy of Fine Arts
Workshop Project: October 1, 2022 to October 5, 2022
Scan the QR code below to register for the competition and embark on an artistic adventure!
Contact Information: Teacher Liu, Email: jxjy@cafa.edu.cn; Tel: 8610-6477 1281; Mobile Phone: 1371609690 (Monday-Friday 08:30-12:00，13:30-17:00)
Courtesy of the Organizing Committee of “Exhibition of Excellent Works of CAFA & LUCION National Competition for Calligraphy and Artworks by Children”, ed. And trans. by Sue/CAFA ART INFO.
