Global Canvas is David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF)’s annual children’s art competition which is open to groups and individuals aged 16 and under including friends, art clubs and schools (including a class, year group or entire school). It’s a fantastic way to encourage creativity, to display thought and concern for our planet’s environment and the incredible wildlife that inhabits it.

Our 2021 competition attracted entries from across the globe with 2,219 children participating from 26 countries. The winners were announced in a virtual awards ceremony in March 2021 with the hugely successful DSWF Art Patron Emily Lamb, the brilliant “Artivist” DSWF Partner Wildlife Artist Martin Aveling and Painteddog.tv took us on an incredible virtual safari in Africa!

We’re thrilled to announce entries are now open for the DSWF Global Canvas 2022 competition with an exciting theme inspired by forests.

Theme: Forests of Land and Sea

The theme for the DSWF Global Canvas 2022 competition is “Forests of Land and Sea”. Forests are found all over the world, both on land and beneath the waves. They are home to a vast number of our planet’s wildlife, providing food, water and shelter for invertebrates, amphibians, mammals, reptiles, birds and even fish. Just imagine all the different types of forests and the wildlife that call them home!

Forests vary enormously depending on the area in which they are found. Some examples to help inspire your creativity include kelp forests, rainforests, evergreen forests, mangrove forests, temperate forests (like those found in the UK and in North America), the spiny forest of Madagascar and the cloud forests of South America, but there are many more!

From tigers to mudskippers, African forest elephants to sea otters, chameleons to speckled wood butterflies, many animals rely on forests for their survival. Some are so well suited to living there, they couldn’t live anywhere else.

How to enter DSWF Global Canvas 2022

DSWF Global Canvas 2022 is free to enter and open to children aged 16 and under – either as a group or an individual. The deadline for entries is Friday 11 February 2022 with a virtual final held on Thursday 24 March 2022. Entries will be judged for groups and individuals will be judged separately, and in the following age categories – age 4 to 7 years, age 8 to 11 years and age 12 to 16 years.

For group entries, please create a display of artwork based on the “Forests of Land and Sea” theme, using any art technique you like. DSWF always likes to see recycled materials used wherever possible. A group entry can be any size from 2 children up to an entire school!

Individual entries to Global Canvas can consist of any art technique with an artwork of any size providing it is based on the “Forests of Land and Sea” theme and the work is original. Please note that you do not need to send us your actual artwork, however, you will need to send us a photograph and video of it in addition to completing the relevant group or individual entry form. Winners will receive vouchers for art supplies, digital adoption packs and certificates.

All entries must be received digitally by Friday 11 February 2022. No physical artwork should be sent to the DSWF – see our full terms and conditions here. Entry to the competition requires digital photographs of your completed artwork to be submitted.

Entries will be judged on the quality of art, interpretation of the theme, creativity, and for group entries – level of collaboration. The decision of the judges will be final. Competition winners will receive vouchers for art supplies, digital animal adoptions and certificates.

For more information and entry forms, visit https://davidshepherd.org/events/enter-global-canvas-2022/.