The Animal Inspiration art competition is now closed for entries. Thank you to everyone who took part!

Paint, draw or create your Animal Inspiration. Enter your artwork in to the RVC Animal Care Trust competition to win arts and crafts prizes and have your masterpiece displayed in RVC hospitals!

Animals inspire us in all sorts of ways; we see wildlife overcoming adversity in programmes on the television, our pets comfort us when we are feeling low and working animals help save lives. Unfortunately, however, animals can become ill just like we do and when they do, they go to animal hospitals for treatment.

The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) has specialist hospitals for animals of all shapes and sizes and even help zoos and wildlife parks when their animals are unwell. They have all remained open during the COVID-19 crisis caring for the sickest of animals and ensuring that their vital treatment is able to continue in spite of the lockdown.

Animals mean so much to us all, so we would love to have pictures of inspiring animals who inspire on the hospital walls. Artwork from school children will bring the hospital rooms and corridors to life, comforting people who are worried about their pets, and also inspire the vets, nurses, carers and other staff who work in the hospitals who make such a difference to the lives and health of our pets.

The winners

The competition

We are inviting primary school children to create an A4 size artwork showing how animals inspire them. This could be:

• A cuddle with your pet, from cats and dogs to guinea pigs and snakes
• A picture of your favourite wild animal in its natural environment
• A collection of animals with a happy message

Whatever inspires you! Your artwork can be a painting, drawing, collage or photo – anything that can fit inside an A4 frame with a flat cover (so it can be wiped for hygiene reasons).

If you have a budding artist at home, this is the perfect project for you! Help us fill the walls of our animal hospitals with brightly coloured pictures drawn by your children. The pictures can be paintings, drawings, collages or anything that shows inspiring animals.

The prize

If your artwork is selected for display, you will receive a special certificate and will be sent a photograph of your picture in the hospital.

Each category will have a shortlist of the best entries, and a winner of each category will be selected. The three category winners will also win a prize of some fantastically creative art equipment:

The overall winner will win a hamper full of arts and crafts supplies! The runners up will receive a voucher to spend at Berkhamsted Arts & Crafts - £20 for second place and £10 for third place.

Sponsor

The Arts Society Beds & Herts is delighted to sponsor the RVC Animal Care Trust's ‘Animal Inspiration Art Competition’. The Arts Society (formerly the National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts Society) has over 90,000 members belonging to more than 380 Societies throughout the UK, Europe and Australasia.

TAS Beds & Herts supports 17 societies throughout the two counties promoting appreciation of the arts and helping to preserve the artistic heritage of all cultures through grants and volunteering.These Societies bring together groups of like-minded people with regular meetings and lectures from top experts on a diverse list of subjects. Additionally, they arrange visits and tours and undertake a number of activities ranging from volunteering at heritage sites and museums to supporting community and young arts projects. Becoming a member offers a stimulating and enjoyable way to expand knowledge of the arts and forge new friend-ships. Details of all Societies in the Area can be found at www.bedsherts.theartssociety.org.