Creative celebrations at Schools Art event

With categories for visual art, short stories, poetry, drama, and musical performance, the competition once again highlighted the best of our talented local young people.

As well as individual awards, prizes were also given to schools that had the highest numbers of winning entries. Outstanding Individual Awards were given out to Katie Tebble from Laurelhill Community College (Visual Art), Lara Poole Friends’ School Lisburn (Poetry), Clare Grieve from Friends’ School Lisburn (Short Story) and Abigail Rea from Ballinderry Primary School (Musical Performance). Awards were presented by the Mayor of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council Councillor Thomas Beckett and Mr Jim Burke, Managing Director, Montupet (UK) Ltd - the main sponsor of the competition. Other sponsors included Eason Ltd, Waterstones and Music Matters, Lisburn.

Guests at the ceremony were treated to a range of performances and readings including a musical item from Abigail Rea from Ballinderry Primary School, readings from Lara Poole and Clare Grieve from Friends’ School Lisburn followed by a drama excerpt from Meadow Bridge Primary School of their production ‘Scahldies up the Chimley’.

Speaking at the award ceremony, Master of Ceremonies, Heather Campbell said: “Ladies and gentlemen, I am sure you agree our young artists are the pride of the city. On behalf of ISLAND Arts Centre I would like to thank you all for taking part in this hugely successful competition. Once again I would like to thank Montupet (UK) Ltd and Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council for their continued support of the Annual Schools’ Arts Competition.

“Thank you all for joining us today and I hope that you will encourage your friends and family to come down and view the exhibition in the Community Arts Walkway until the Thursday June 30. The exhibition will then be on display in both Lisburn City Library and Dundonald Library from Wednesday July 1 to Wednesday August 31.”