Challenge Community Services art competition winners announced

People with disability and young people in foster care from all over NSW entered a total of 272 pieces including paintings, drawings, sculptures, and photography pieces.

This year's theme was 'Out of this World, and entries were filled with twinkling stars, mysterious aliens, soaring spaceships, adventurous astronauts, galactic landscapes, and even the coronavirus.

The winners of the competition were announced via live stream on Thursday from Ray Walsh House in Tamworth by Challenge chief executive officer Peter Maher.

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The competition launch was aligned with International Day of People with Disability on December 3, to help raise public awareness, understanding and acceptance of people with disability and celebrate their talents, achievements and contributions.

The competition was been judged this year by Tamworth Regional Gallery director Bridget Guthrie, and collections officer Eloise Newall.

'People's choice' voting took place online and via the Challenge Facebook page where participating artists and the public voted for their favourite artworks.

Mr Maher said Challenge was "proud to welcome people with disability and young people in foster care from various service providers, to participate in this wonderful annual competition".

"The aim of the competition is to provide the artists with a platform to further enhance their individualism and status in the community through the expression of art. It's about focusing on their abilities, not their disability," he said.

"Despite the challenges this year with COVID-19, we still received over 270 artworks from artists aged 18 months to 74 years living in towns and cities right across NSW, from Albury to Tenterfield."

While everyone can't be a winner, Mr Maher said all participants "should be very proud of their achievements".

"It's been so great to see the diversity, talent and uniqueness expressed through their work," he said.

The physical art exhibition will remain on display at Ray Walsh House for the public to enjoy until Monday, January 4, 2021.

$3000 in prizes were awarded to 25 competition winners in six different categories.

First place winners in the competition are as follows:

Young People in Foster Care ages 0-12: Aboriginal Space by I.F

Young People in Foster Care ages 13-18: Different Perspectives of Galaxy by E.E

People with Disability ages 0-12: My Crazy World by Machaela Shoobert from Gunnedah High School

People with Disability ages 13-18: Mind Blown by Zoe King from Gunnedah High School

People with Disability ages 19-50: We are Stardust by Zoyie-Lee Newham from Young supported by Job Centre Australia

People with Disability ages 50+ Cosmic Galaxy by Kristine Reynolds from Bowraville supported by Open Arms and Classy Arts.