“Imagine If….!”

Sunningwell School of Art invites children and young people living in Oxfordshire to enter its 2026 Art Competition.

Rules & Terms and Conditions.

Part A – Competition Rules

1. Who Can Enter

  • Open to children and young people aged 5–16 as of 3rd December 2026 and who live in Oxfordshire.
  • Entries will be judged in four age groups:
  • 5–8 years – One winner and two runners-up
  • 9–11 years – One winner and two runners-up
  • 12–14 years – One winner and two runners-up
  • 15-16 years – One overall winner
  • No previous art training required.

2. Theme:  The 2026 theme is “Imagine If…!” Entrants are encouraged to interpret the theme imaginitively and in their own individual way.

3. Valid Entries

  • Accepted: painting, drawing, collage and any other mediums on a flat surface not exceeding A3 in size; or sculpture, object or model where height, width and depth do not exceed 12cm.
  • Not accepted: digital artworks, AI-generated works, photographs, 3D-printed models.
  • All work must be original and created solely by the entrant. Normal encouragement from parents, teachers or others is permitted.

4. How to Enter and Key Dates

  • Submit a photo or scan of your artwork via email to this address: artcomp@artschool.org.uk
  • Entrant’s name, age and title of artwork, completing the sentence ‘Imagine If….’ must be the file name.
  • Parent/guardian’s postcode in the email.
  • Unfortunately we cannot accept entries without the above information.
  • Deadline for online entries: Midnight, Thursday 3rd December 2026.
  • Deliver your physical artwork for inclusion in the exhibition either in person or via post to: Sunningwell School of Art, The Old School, Sunningwell nr. Abingdon OX13 6RD to arrive no later than 4pm, Friday 11th December 2026. All entries received will be included in the exhibition. You can deliver physical artworks to the school at any time from the launch of the competition up until the deadline. (SSOA opening hours Monday-Thursday 9.15am – 9pm) Friday 9.15am-4.30pm, Saturday 10am-12.30pm.)
  • Winning artists and runners up only will be notified via email on Monday 14th December 2026.
  • The exhibition of all entrants, runners-up and winners will be exhibited at: The Cornerstone Arts Centre, 25 Station Road, Didcot, Oxfordshire.  https://cornerstone-arts.org/
  • The exhibition runs from Friday 8th January 2027 to Thursday 14th January 2027. Please see The Cornerstone Arts Centre website above for opening times. These are usually 10am-8.30pm Monday-Saturday.
  • Exhibition private view at The Cornerstone Arts Centre for families and friends: Friday 8th January 2027 6pm-8pm.
  • Reminders and other practical information including collecting artwork will be provided closer to deadlines.

5. Judging

  • Entries will be reviewed by a panel of professional artists and invited judges appointed by SSOA.
  • Judges will be announced in November 2026.
  • Stage 1: Digital review of entries and shortlist creation.
  • Stage 2: Final judging from the shortlist for 3 winners, one for each age category, and two runners-up for each age category. One overall winner from the 14-16 category.
  • The judges’ decision is final.

6. Prizes

  • Winners and runners-up (10 total):

Winners in each category – Your artwork professionally framed by the Sarah Wiseman Gallery (if 2d) or display plinth and engraved plaque (if 3d), a voucher for £50 worth of art materials from Broad Canvas and a full bursary for a term in a young person’s class of your choice at Sunningwell School of Art worth over £200.

Runners-up in each category – A voucher for £30 worth of art materials from Broad Canvas and a full bursary for a term in a young person’s class of your choice at Sunningwell School of Art worth over £200.

Winner of the 14-16 category –  Your artwork professionally framed by the Sarah Wiseman Gallery (if 2d) or display plinth and engraved plaque (if 3d), A voucher for £50 worth of art materials from Broad Canvas in Oxford and a full bursary for a term in a class of your choice at Sunningwell School of Art worth over £200.

7. Entry Requirements

Entry into the Competition is separate from permission to receive future communications from SSOA. Parents / guardians / adults will be given a separate and optional choice about whether they wish to hear from SSOA about future competitions, children’s courses and other relevant opportunities.

SSOA will collect only information reasonably required to administer the Competition. The proposed information is:

• Entrant’s name.
• Entrant’s age.
• Title of artwork – including completion of the sentence ‘Imagine If….’.
• Parent/guardian name and email address.
• Parent/guardian postcode to establish Oxfordshire residency.
• Image of the artwork.

SSOA will not require a full home address or contact number at initial entry unless there is an identifiable reason why this is necessary.

8. Permissions

By entering, parents/guardians consent to artworks being displayed at The Cornerstone Arts Centre, and for images of artworks to be shared in SSoA and Cornerstone publicity (website, social media, press). Copyright remains with the artist.

Part B – Terms & Conditions

  1. Eligibility: Competition is open to children and young people aged 5–16 as of 3rd December 2026 residing in Oxfordshire. Only one entry per child is permitted. The organisers reserve the right to verify age and residency.
  2. Submission: Entries must be original and created solely by the entrant. Acceptable formats are as stated in the rules. Entries must be submitted by the deadlines published; late entries will not be accepted.
  3. Originality: Plagiarised works, AI-generated images, photography and 3D-printed models are ineligible. Entries must not infringe the rights of any third party.
  4. Judging: Entries will be judged by a panel appointed by SSoA. The panel’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Judging criteria include creativity, originality, and interpretation of theme.
  5. Prizes: Prizes are non-transferable and no cash alternative will be offered. SSoA reserves the right to substitute prizes of equal or greater value if circumstances require.
  6. Exhibition and Publicity: By entering, entrants and parents/guardians agree to their works being exhibited at The Cornerstone Arts Centre, Didcot. SSoA and Cornerstone reserves the right to reproduce images of submitted works for publicity in print, digital and press media. Copyright remains with the entrant.
  7. Artwork, Copyright and Publicity. Copyright in the artwork remians with the entrant. By entering the competition the parent/guardian/adult gives SSOA permission to display the artwork and to photograph or reproduce the artwork for reasonable purposes connected with the Competition, exhibition and promotion of SSOA’s charitable and educational activities, including SSOA’s website and Social Media. Permission to reproduce an entrant’s artwork does not constitute permission to publish an identifiable photograph of the child.
  8. Sunningwell School of Art (SSoA) will use and/or share information provided in connetion with the Competition only where it has an appropriate lawful basis and for all reasonable purposes connected with administering and delivering the Competition including:
    • receiving and administering entries:
    • confirming eligibility:
    • judging:
    • organising and delivering the exhibition:
    • contacting parents/guardians/adults about the Competition:
    • administering prizes; and
    • dealing with reasonable Competition-related enquiries.
    • SSOA will not sell entrants or parent/guardian/adult personal information.
    • Information collected solely for Competition administration will be retained only for as long as reasonably necessary for that purpose and will then be securely deleted or anonymised, subject to any legal, insurance or other legitimate reason for retaining particular records for longer.
  9. Liability: While all reasonable care will be taken, SSoA accepts no responsibility for the loss or damage of works in transit or during exhibition. Entrants are advised not to submit works of high monetary value.
  10. SSoA reserves the right to make reasonable changes to arrangements where circumstances outside its control make this necessary and will communicate material changes appropriately. SSOA may amend or withdraw the competition if necessary due to circumstances beyond its control. SSOA may reject an entry that does not comply with these Rules or where it reasonably believes that the work is not the the entrant’s own eligible, original work.
  11. Future Communications: Competition entry does not automatically add a parent/guardian/adult to SSOA’s mailing list. Parents/guardians/adults will instead be offered an opt-in choice via personal email.
  12. By submitting an entry, the parent / guardian / adult confirms that they have read and accepted these Competition Rules and Terms and Conditions.

To download a copy, please click on the link below.

Competition Terms and Conditions