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After the breathtaking art of local children was collected, judged, and celebrated throughout Colchester, the curtains have been drawn on the Are You The Next Banksy? competition. What has been crafted by the young artists of Essex, as a result of the contributions of Littlegarth School and Brandler Galleries, is a collection of local talent, passion, and stories that have peppered Colchester High Street, and left behind a display of the imaginative minds of our young people.
(Image: The winning CD artworks)
23 schools across the county participated in this community-led project, including Baynards Primary Tiptree, Colchester Academy, Nayland Primary, and Highfields Lawford, with hundreds of young people presenting their craftsmanship on the beyond ordinary canvas of CDs. The reach of this project demonstrated that young people are both inspired and inspirational, creating masterpieces based on something as simple as liking flowers, to a significant sentiment to a lost loved one.
(Images: Coverage in the Colchester Gazette)
None of this would have been possible without the generosity of those who came on board from the very beginning. Brandler Galleries loaned a remarkable collection of authenticated Banksy artworks, bringing world-famous art out of the gallery and onto the high street for everyone to enjoy. Fenwick Colchester provided the stunning centrepiece display, housing 60 young artists’ CDs alongside Banksy’s own work, and generously sponsored all 15 daily treasure hunt prizes. The Colchester Gazette came on board as official media partner, celebrating our young artists in print with a magnificent double-page In Focus feature [link]. PR support was provided throughout by redPepper Marketing.
Competition winners from ages 2 to 18 displayed their talent in a ceremony hosted at The Minories on 25th March, judged by Kathy Uttley, John Brandler, Mark Turner of Fenwick, and Emma Howe. I saw the nervous glee of winner Vijayith Weerasundara as his prize was introduced in front of an adoring crowd. I saw the passion of Quinn Jenkinson, whose Oasis-inspired songbird decorated the gallery walls in posters. I saw parents surrounding Miles Ramsey’s incredible memorial to his dog, whispering “That one is beautiful!” It really felt like one of those moments when you realise the connections within our community.
(Image: Competition Winners Awards Evening at the Minories)
From 28th March, over 400 painted CDs scattered the streets of Colchester as the trail went live. Participating shops across the city centre included The Salvation Army, Boardroom Darts, HMV, No. 11, The Hearing Care Centre, Fenwick, Waterstones, Accessorize, Rocks and Rubies, Card Factory, Red Lion Bookshop, Toni and Guy, Nerd Base, Decor Vibes, Bill and Berts, Millets, and Patch, among many others. A daily treasure hunt on the Littlegarth Facebook page kept families exploring every corner of the city throughout the Easter holidays.
(Images: Fenwick Colchester window display including artworks on loan from Brandler Galleries)
(Images: Participating stores across Colchester displaying the young artists CDs during the art trail during the Easter holidays)
Behind the scenes, five content creators from Colchester Sixth Form College, Matilda, Cecile, Olivia, and Ruby Hardiman, produced the daily clue graphics and social media content that kept the community engaged throughout.
Are You The Next Banksy? developed the skills and confidence of young people across the county, built strong bonds between community members, and reminded us of the importance art has in making people admire, reconsider, and most importantly, feel. I am grateful to Littlegarth, and to Kathy Uttley, for giving me and my fellow content creators an experience that will stay with us long into our future careers.
(Image: Content Creators from the Sixth Form College, (left to right) – Cecile Block, Matilda Smith, Olivia Evans, Ruby Payne)
(Image: Mark Turner, Store Director at Fenwick Colchester and Ruby Hardiman, Sixth Form College content creator, outside the window display in Fenwick)
