Christmas Events in the Turks and Caicos

Annual Christmas Card Competition Gets Island Youngsters In The Spirit

There are a host of Christmas events in the Turks and Caicos and none as popular with little artists as the annual Christmas Card Competition.

For some it’s the chance to be published in the local newspaper.
For some it’s the chance to win a cash prize.
For some it’s just the chance to create.

Annual Christmas Card Competition

At this time of the year children in the Turks and Caicos Islands are hard at work with pencils, crayons and other creative materials creating their entries for the annual Christmas Card Competition.

The event is sponsored by the Turks and Caicos Weekly News publication, and is open to all primary school aged children.

Prizes and Deadlines

Entrants must come up with festive cards with a Turks and Caicos theme.

There are attractive cash prizes for the winners: $200 for first prize and $100 for second prize. Each entry will be judged in terms of creativity, originality, and presentation. The deadline for the 2015 entries is next Wednesday, December 16th.

Competition Rules

The contest rules stipulate, “All you have to do is to design a Christmas card that shows how the festive season is celebrated in the Turks and Caicos Islands.” While the contest rules seem straightforward enough, the way children have interpreted the instructions over the years is quite remarkable. One previous contest winner chose to go beyond the medium of pencils and crayons and created more texture and dimension by incorporating shells, seeds and glitter in her masterpiece.

Developing Artistic Abilities and Careers

The contest is an opportunity for children to tap into and develop their art abilities. For burgeoning talents, it’s a place to start. Take the case of one prominent island painter who actually got a start in her career by entering a Christmas card competition. Jean Gardiner Taylor, one of Turks and Caicos’ most prominent artists, won an award with the Cable & Wireless (TCI) open Christmas card design competition in 1993. She began at the age of six and since then has won numerous awards and exhibited her work extensively. Taylor’s Christmas card success came full circle in 2012 when her artwork was chosen for the Turks and Caicos Premier’s Christmas Card.

The Christmas Card Competition has begun. Prizes and fame are there for the taking. And maybe, amidst all the flurry of pencils and brushes, there’s another gifted artist out there honing their skills in preparation for a place of prominence on the world artistic stage.

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From all of us at Villa del Mar, our best wishes to our guests and friends from around the world for a peaceful and safe holiday season.