The Gloria Gordon Awards for Young Artists’ Sketchbooks are sponsored by Graham Gordon in memory of his wife Gloria. Artists’ sketchbooks are often unseen and yet contain some of their most creative personal work. For young artists the use of a sketchbook is crucial in developing their skills and visual concepts but can also present a fascinating insight into the creator’s thought processes. 

The competition

The awards are intended to find and celebrate excellence in the creation of a student’s sketchbook/personal research during their studies for GCSE and A Level Art, Photography, Textiles and other creative activities covered by GCSE and A Levels. These will already be created as an inherent part of their course at school or college, so the competition requires no further creative work by the student. Students will have completed their GCSE or ‘A’ Level the summer before the awards ceremony so sketchbooks will be finalised. 

Who can enter? 

If you live in Folkestone & Hythe District, are 18 or under, studying for GCSE or ‘A’ Level in Art or Design (or equivalent) you may enter the competition.

Categories 

There are two categories: 

  • Category 1: Art and/or design GCSE (or Level 2 equivalent) for those studying in year 11. 
  • Category 2: Art and/or design ‘A’ Level (or Level 3 equivalent) for those currently studying in year 12 and 13. 

Awards 

Awards are decided by an independent panel. There are six awards in total, three in each category. 

  • Winner – an award for £125 for the winner in each category. 
  • Highly Commended – an award for £75 for one highly commended entry in each category. 
  • Commended – an award of £50 for one commended entry in each category. 

The school or college of the winner in each category is presented with a trophy, in the form of an art deco dancer, which can be taken away for display for one year. 

There is an award ceremony which takes place in the autumn at an event specifically designed to showcase all the entries as well as the prize winners. Everyone involved is invited, teachers, students and parents can come along to the award evening. The winner’s sketchbooks will also be prominently displayed, on their own table, at the Society’s autumn exhibition.

How to enter 

The competition is run in the autumn each year and a representative of Folkestone Art Society (“FAS”) will contact Art Departments at the end of the summer term in the first instance with the event date and gauge interest and possible numbers of students that each school might wish to enter. 

Practicalities 

The sketchbook can be A2 or A3. All artwork will be collected before judging and returned after the competition by a representative of the FAS.

The 2024 Awards

Huge congratulations to the winners of the 2024 Gloria Gordon Awards for Young Artists’ Sketchbooks 

A-Level

• Winner: Nicole Choudhury FSG Textiles
• Highly Commended: Alisha Gurung FSG Textiles
• Commended: Jonah Roche HG Art
• Commended: Lauren Murrell FSG Photography

GCSE

• Winner: Sandip Rana HG Art
• Highly Commended: Emma Bovingdon FSG Photography
• Highly Commended: Sam Davies Brockhill Photography
• Commended: Violet Graham – Folkestone Academy Art

 

Winning sketchbooks submitted to the 2022 Gloria Gordon Award

Winning sketchbooks submitted to the 2022 Gloria Gordon Award

Gloria Gordon (4 June 1938 to 24 September 2006)