A novel new art initiative launched today – ‘Draw Our Heroes’ is asking budding young artists across the country to immortalise the everyday heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic by submitting their original portraits to a national competition.
Every day during COVID-19, ordinary citizens are doing extraordinary things and working tirelessly to keep the rest of us safe. This innovative art competition, sponsored by Uniphar’s Life and Allcare Pharmacies, asks children and teens to submit paintings based on the hero in their lives, whether it’s a Mum who might be a doctor on the frontline, Dad working from home and keeping them entertained, their Gran cocooning or else an inspiring healthcare and frontline worker – our doctors, nurses, carers, porters, firefighters, ambulance service, gardai, army personnel and shop assistants among others.
The organisers of this new art initiative point out that while COVID-19 has brought great sadness, grief and fear it has also brought us closer as a nation, community, and as families. It has also shown how resilient and inventive we all can be during challenging times. Covid-19 has also thrown into sharp relief the amazing work our ordinary healthcare and frontline workers do every day. The competition aims to recognise and celebrate the many different professions and people who are bravely working to bring Ireland safely through the pandemic.
Competition originator Richard Mulcahy has stated, “Heroes come in many forms and this competition will be a way to connect children directly with that concept and to draw on children’s creative flair to acknowledge the incredible stance being taken by an extraordinary range of our citizens operating every day in the face of great adversity. I have two brothers who are doctors and are part of the amazing group of front-line workers in Ireland fighting for all our lives. I felt I wanted to do something to help honour all these amazing people.
I would also like to acknowledge the great support from Uniphar’s Life and Allcare pharmacies who are generously sponsoring ‘Draw Our Heroes’ – they are an incredible organisation in the work they do and have been very supportive in many of charitable initiatives I have run.”
The drawings will initially be placed online, and a public exhibition is planned for later in the year as a permanent tribute to the heroic efforts of thousands of our citizens throughout the pandemic. A prize pool of just under €5000 will be awarded to the top 12 entries across four age categories. Their hero subjects will also receive a matched prize. The competition is open to any person up to and including 18-years-of-age.
Celebrated artist Graham Knuttel and RTE broadcaster Joe Duffy will lead the panel of judges for this exciting competition.
Entries should be original, unaided, and must be submitted by June 30, 2020. Further details of the initiative and submission criteria can be found at https://drawourheroes.ie/
