BOC organises ‘Little Picasso’ art competition

In line with the bank’s 78th anniversary celebrations, Bank of Ceylon (BOC) is set to conduct an art competition, ‘Little Picasso’ among schoolchildren and reward their talents with valuable gifts. 

The bank will not only reward the child’s talent but will also award the respective schools for nurturing those talents and this prize will be further enhanced if the respective school maintains a BOC ‘Sansada’ school banking unit. 

In order to maintain transparency and quality of the whole programme, the art competition is conducted jointly with the Education Ministry and thereby Zonal Education Departments. 
The art competition will be conducted under four categories: category I for preschool children, category II for Grade I to 5, category III for Grade 6 to 9 and category IV for Grade 10 to 13 children. 
From each category, the first, second and third national winners and 10 national merit winners will be selected based on their creativity and presentation. The selections would be done by professional judges appointed by the Education Ministry. 

Apart from the national winners, three main provincial winners and 10 merit winners will too be selected from each category. These winners will be selected by professional judges appointed by the relevant Provincial/Zonal Education Department. 

The national first will receive Rs.100,000, a Gold medal and a certificate; the second place will receive Rs.75,000, a Silver medal and a certificate and the national third place will receive Rs.50,000, a Bronze medal and a certificate. 

Schools of these national place winners will receive Rs.25,000, Rs.15,000 and Rs.10,000, respectively for first, second and third places. At the provincial level first, second and third winners will be awarded with Rs.25,000, Rs.15,000 and Rs.10,000, respectively and each province merit award winner will receive Rs.2500 along with a certificate. 

The school of provincial first place will get Rs.12,500. If such an award-winning school maintains a ‘BOC School Sansada’, the cash reward for the school will be enhanced by another Rs.10,000. 
The bank will exhibit the talents shown by all winners during the month of October on a selected date and a venue, which will be followed by the Little Picasso Award Ceremony for the national level winners. The exhibition will be opened to the public, for anyone interested in admiring the artistic talents of these budding little Picassos.

“The bank sincerely hopes that the parents will encourage the talents of these budding artists by fulfilling the simple entry requirement of opening a ‘Ran Kekulu’ account with any of BOC’s branches with just Rs.150 and the bank will enhance the amount by another Rs.100 as an acknowledgment for starting a secured financial partnership with Bank of Ceylon for their precious child’s future, whilst taking part in the bank’s 78th anniversary celebrations,” Deputy General Manager Sales and Channel Management Senarath Bandara stated. With the belief that the children can be very creative when given the freedom of thought, children are allowed to draw under any topic that inspires them. 
To make the art competition fair for everyone, the participants are requested to submit only one drawing/painting for the competition. 

The participants are also requested to produce their drawing/painting on 18”x14” white mat drawing paper without leaving a border around the paper, by using any medium (pastel/ water colours/ poster colours, etc.) that won’t smudge or smear on touch. So as to maintain the quality of the drawing it is advised not to roll or fold your creative work. An application prepared as per the attached specimen will have to be pasted behind the drawing with the certification from the school principal and the bank official. Drawings can be handed over to the nearest Bank of Ceylon branch on or before September 8, 2017. 

Anyone who wishes for more information about this competition could contact their nearest branch, visit the bank’s website, refer newspapers or simply by call the bank’s 24 hour operated call centre.