Artwork by 13-year-old Arjaa Raghu for the International Child Art Foundation’s #MyFavoriteSport competition. Image credit: Courtesy of International Child Art Foundation
Although the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris ended on Sunday, student artists still have more Olympic competitions ahead of them.
On July 26, the International Child Art Foundation (ICAF) launched a global Olympic-themed art competition for students ages 14 to 20. The campaign, called #MyFavoriteSport, allows participants to create artwork inspired by their favorite sport. They have a chance to win a gold, silver or bronze medal, as well as a cash prize – $3,000 for gold, $2,000 for silver and $1,000 for bronze. The entry fee is $10.
The competition, which will accept entries until September 30, will end on October 4, when medal winners will be announced based on public votes.
Ashfaq Ishaq, the founder of ICAF, said he founded the organization in 1997 to provide a platform for children to share their talent in a world where the work of professional, adult artists often takes center stage.
“We believe that art created by children is arguably the most honest form of human expression and creativity. Yet children’s imagination is often ignored,” said Ishaq. “Our goal is to encourage students to explore their creativity and share it with the world.”
This, says Ishaq, is how ICAF came to organize and host the world’s largest arts program for schools. The Art Olympics – an art competition showcasing artwork by students ages 8-12 from after-school programs and art studios, including home-schooled students from around the world.
The Arts Olympiad was the direct inspiration for the #MyFavoriteSport campaign, said Ishaq.
“It is the Olympic Games, which in its own way is a story about the passions and imaginations of young people,” said Ishaq. “This campaign is not only that, but also the story of what ICAF has been doing to promote children’s arts for 27 years.”
An Olympic-themed artwork created by 11-year-old Eric Liang. Image credit: Courtesy of the International Child Art Foundation
The winners of the #MyFavoriteSport contest, Ishaq said, will be invited to participate in the 2025 ICAF World Children’s Festival – the event that also unveils the Arts Olympiad nominees and winners – and perform on the National Mall in Washington DC in June 2025.
“We are the only organization that does something like this for children around the world,” Ishaq said. “When you can bring young artists together, the spark ignites.”
Xiaojia “Jojo” Yu, a fourth-year mathematics student at Ohio State University and a social networking sites marketing intern at ICAF, said she spent much of her internship promoting the #MyFavoriteSport campaign.
Yu said her responsibilities include developing videos and graphics showcasing past winners’ artwork, participating in online conversations about the competition and collaborating with influencers and other art-related social media accounts to expand the campaign’s reach.
“Over the past few weeks, I’ve focused on creating engaging content that highlights the contest theme, prizes and submission guidelines,” said Yu. “The experience has been rewarding. I’ve gained valuable hands-on experience in social media marketing and developed a deeper appreciation for the power of the arts and their impact on young people.”
Yu said she chose to intern at ICAF because she wanted the opportunity to contribute to the foundation’s mission of supporting young artists.
“Promoting arts among youth is critical for several reasons,” Yu said. “First, arts foster creativity, imagination and problem-solving skills, which are essential for personal and academic development. Second, arts provide a powerful platform for self-expression and allow young people to explore their feelings and perspectives. Third, arts education can contribute to cultural understanding and appreciation, thereby promoting diversity and inclusivity. Finally, engaging with arts can boost confidence and build resilience, giving young people the opportunity to reach their full potential.”
Beyond these general benefits, Yu says the importance of art is also due to its special ability to affect each person differently.
“As a child, I was not so fascinated by traditional landscape art. Instead, I was more interested in art that depicted fashion or architecture,” Yu said. “I like to look at geometry in architecture, but other people may be more interested in the combination of colors. Art is everywhere in our lives. Art classes should just show children how to find art in their daily lives.”
To upload a post, cast a vote or learn more about the #MyFavorite Sport campaign, visit the website.
