Jun 3, 2013
The Strokes of Genius project aims to empower people through the visual arts, promote new market entrants and identify latent talent, and help those lacking in expertise and experience to bring their works to market.
Strokes of Genius was conceived to realize the potential inherent to the untapped arts and culture economic sector. South Africa has a wealth of artistic talent and we need to harness this talent and produce more world class artists from an early age. Art has the potential to drive and develop a “new economy”. Checkers and Shoprite have recognized this potential as it will create jobs and contribute to competitiveness that will ultimately drive the Cultural Industries.
The Shoprite Checkers Strokes of Genius project - a project for the development of fine arts and crafts from Africa and presented in partnership with the Department of Arts and Culture, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Basic Education - provides artists and craft workers the opportunity to gain recognition for their talent by exposing their work to local and international buyers through a visual online gallery.
As part of its commitment to promote the development of art and culture amongst young people, the Shoprite Checkers Strokes of Genius project’s School Art Competition launched an art competition for secondary schools in May 2009.
The Shoprite Checkers Strokes of Genius project, invites students in grades 10-12 to showcase their artistic talents in the 2013 School Art Competition by submitting paintings (oil or acrylic) or sketches (charcoal or pencil) that portray the theme Picture a new tomorrow. Winners will receive a contribution towards furthering their art studies, as well as a contribution towards the development of their school’s art programmes.
Learners can enter the competition from 3 June 2013 by completing the online entry form online at www.strokesofgenius.co.za and submitting a photo of their artwork (at least 1 Mb), as well as a description of the artwork before the closing date on Thursday 8 August 2013.
Based on the entries of photographs received, a panel of judges will first select their choice of the top 20 in each category. The organisers will then be in contact with the these learners and/or their teachers before to arrange collection of these artworks from schools for further judging.
From the TOP 20 the judges will thereafter choose 12 finalists per category who will each receive R2 000 for their art work. The panel of judges will select three winners in each of the two categories. They winners will receive:
• 1st place winner: A tertiary education policy worth R50 000 and their school wins R10 000 cash
• 2nd place winner: A tertiary education policy worth R35 000 and their school wins R8 000 cash
• 3rd place winner: A tertiary education policy worth R15 000 and their school wins R5 000 cash
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Strokes of Genius project first launched in 2007 with the aim of promoting emerging painters and their artwork. The best artworks from emerging artists who submitted their paintings online were auctioned off at an auction in November 2007. Fifteen young artists successfully sold their works, with two artworks fetching R30 000 each.
Through the recognition gained from their involvement with Strokes of Genius these some artists have gone on to become successful public artists in their own right, exhibiting their works, on invitation, in well-known South African galleries and art events.
In 2009 the Strokes of Genius project expanded its focus to include the promotion of not only art, but also fine crafts from across Africa, that include a variety of craft products such as smoke-fired pottery, leather products, ceramics, decorative lampshades, beadwork, mosaics, wire and wood sculptures and other traditional African craftwork and much more.
Bonola Kavula, a grade 11 learner from Kimberley Girls High School in the Northern Cape, was announced as the first national winner and with her beautiful painting earned herself a R20 000 scholarship towards further studies in art, and was also rewarded with R10 000 for her school.