Respond! National Art Competition 2007

HOUSING ASSOCIATION CELEBRATES 25 YEARS THROUGH YOUTH INVOLVEMENT


Respond!, Ireland’s largest housing association with almost 200 homes in County Tipperary, this week launched their National Art Competition with Don Conroy, well-known children’s photographer and regular contributor to Den TV. The competition, which is being held nationally, commemorates 25 years of Respond! and will take place throughout the summer.

According to Mairead Johnston, National Community Development Manager with Respond!: “We are delighted to be celebrating 25 years of Respond! and we wanted to mark the occasion by doing something a little different for our younger residents. This art competition allows children to communicate how they feel about their community in a fun and creative manner, as well as involving them more in the area in which they reside.”

Any Respond! resident aged 17 and under is invited to enter with the theme being “My Community”. There are 4 categories in total (including one for those with special needs) and all winners will be invited to attend an Awards Ceremony in Dublin in October. All winning entries will be displayed at this event and at Respond!’s International Conference 2007. In addition, winning entries will appear in Respond!’s National Calendar 2008, as well as on the Respond! website.

Ms. Johnson added: “Respond!’s goal is to develop sustainable, integrated communities that will help the growth of the individual resident, as well as the growth of the whole community. We achieve this through the use of programmed events, education and applied community resources. However, we also feel it is important to engage young people in their community and hope this will be achieved through this competition.

The closing date for entries is August 31st 2007 and winners will be announced in September. Prizes vary from MP3 players, to digital cameras, to art materials and are kindly sponsored by SORD Data Systems Ltd. Further information is available on the Respond! website (www.respond.ie) or by contacting Respond! at lo-call 0818 357901.