Crawford Art Gallery is delighted to welcome the Zurich Young Portrait Prize for a third consecutive year in partnership with the National Gallery of Ireland.

This is an annual inclusive art competition which aims to foster and support creativity, originality and self-expression in children and young people. The Zurich Young Portrait Prize accepts entries from young people, up to the age of 18, of all abilities, from across the island of Ireland. 20 finalists in four categories (ages 6 and under, ages 7–11, ages 12–15 and ages 16–18), chosen by our panel of judges, will be displayed at the National Gallery of Ireland from 13 November 2021 to 3 April 2022. The exhibition will then travel to Crawford Art Gallery, where it will be displayed between 23 April and 17 July 2022. The overall winner will be awarded a personalised wooden box of high-quality art materials, specific to their choice of material in their portrait, and a cash prize of €500.

This year’s judging panel is formed by Aideen Barry, Joe Caslin, and Tadhg Crowley.

The shortlisted artists for the Zurich Young Portrait Prize 2021 are:

• Adam Wiercioch Chinatamunnee (Cavan, aged 5), My Father, Watercolour and ink on paper
• Liam Kehily (Dublin, aged 5), Mammy, Coloured pencils and graphite pencil
• Marianna Krolik (Dublin, aged 6), Mia, Watercolour and pencil on paper
• Emilie Cowley Lane (Meath, aged 5), My Gaga, I miss you so much, Poster paint on cork board
• Rebecca Sheahan (Dublin, aged 5), E E … Evie, Acrylic on canvas
• Aliana Aherne (Dublin, aged 9), Mixed Up Me, Oil paint on paper
• Rita Ruitong Chen (Wicklow, aged 8), My Mum, Watercolour and pencil on paper
• Ellie Giblin (Dublin, aged 10), My Glamorous Grand-Aunt, Chalk pastels and charcoal on sugar paper
• Eleanor Margey (Donegal, aged 11), Magnifying Glasses, Drawing pencils and white pen on paper
• Úna and Braden McDonnell (Louth, aged 6 & 8), Úna with the dancing curls, Polystyrene base, papier mache, acrylic paint, papers, markers and plasticine
• Della Cowper-Gray (Kildare, aged 14), Painting in a different world now (My Father The Artist), Pencil and pastel on paper
• Cora Lee (Dublin, aged 13), Working from Home, Pencil, marker and pen on paper
• Joanna Lipska (Kildare, aged 14), Chip-Chop, Colouring pencil on paper
• Lijun Ma (Dublin, aged 15), Self Portrait, Paint on canvas
• Ayesha Siddique (Laois, aged 14), Ayesha’s portrait, Acrylic and pencil on canvas
• Niamh Brady (Cork, aged 18), Unmasked, Pencil and paint marker on paper
• Mia Buckley (Cork, aged 17), Tudor, Acrylic paint on canvas
• Ross McHale (Kildare, aged 16), Life’s Loop, Relentless Rebirth, Acrylic on cardboard animation
• Loren McKenna (Tyrone, aged 17), Deliberation, Oil on cardboard
• James Moonan (Louth, aged 16), Grandad, Pencil, acrylic, corrugated card on paper

The exhibition will be accompanied by the shortlisted artists from the Zurich Portrait Prize 2021.