UNILEVER UK ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF GLOBAL ART PROJECT

Over the next few months children from around the country will be studying and creating pieces of modern art as part of the 2008/9 Unilever International Schools Art Project.  One of the young artists will then be selected to visit London to represent the UK, seeing his or her work of art displayed alongside other young artists from all over the world at a celebratory event held in the internationally renowned art gallery Tate Modern.

Since its conception in 2001, the theme of the project has been linked to the installation created for The Unilever Series of large-scale contemporary art commissions at Tate Modern.  This year’s theme Spaces and Places will be linked to the ninth annual commission of The Unilever Series by Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, which opens in London on 14 October 2008. 

Artist Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster said; “I am very pleased that Unilever runs the Unilever International Schools Art Project alongside its sponsorship of The Unilever Series as a way of encouraging students to engage with art.  This year’s theme of Spaces and Places will enable students to explore and illustrate ideas that have been at the basis of my own work.  It will be interesting to see how the theme will be interpreted by young audiences from diverse cultural backgrounds and I very much look forward to seeing the works produced.”

Now in its eighth year, the Unilever International Schools Art Project encourages young people from around the world to create a painting, sculpture or even a small installation on a given theme.  To date, 125,000 young artists from 48 countries including Colombia, China, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Russia, Turkey, Zimbabwe, USA and the UK have created works of art for the programme.

Dave Lewis, Chairman of Unilever UK said: “Unilever is incredibly proud of what has been achieved through the Unilever International Schools Art Project over the last seven years. This initiative demonstrates our commitment to encourage creativity and add vitality to life, and illustrates our mission to develop strong relationships with our local communities.  I look forward to seeing how the children in the UK engage with this year’s theme.”

To download your project pack visit: www.unilever.co.uk/uisap 

To request a computer print-out of the pack to be posted to you, please email unilever@sponsorshipconsulting.co.uk or contact Sponsorship Consulting Ltd on 0203 176 0038.