Welcome to the Mega Mosaic Makers Competition 2009

Source: Mega Mosaic Makers website

This year, 2009, sees the launch of the second Mega Mosaic Makers Topps Tiles Primary School Mosaic competition. This competition, searching for the most exciting primary school mosaic work in the UK, offers valuable prizes of fabulous mosaic materials for future projects and wonderful art history books to help schools learn more about this ancient craft. Nearly £3,000 worth of prizes have been generously donated by Topps Tiles, with the winning entry attracting £750.

Viv Johns of Topps Tiles said, “Topps Tiles is delighted to be part of Mega Mosaic Makers. Last year’s competition was a huge success and we are looking forward to another sponsorship year. Making mosaics is all about tiles and it is exciting to see how children use them to create such wonderful art. We work with many schools and groups on community mosaic projects and, thanks to Mega Mosaic Makers, primary schools now have the opportunity to showcase their work on a national stage”.

The closing date for entries is 12 December 2009.

Last year Mega Mosaic Makers attracted nearly one hundred impressive entries from all over the UK. Projects were large, small, professional and amateur; some were run by parents with a flair for art, others by teachers or professional mosaic artists. Many were paid for by fund-raising through the PTA. Why not enter your school and win materials for another project?

2008 First Prize Entry - £650
Mosaic for the Weir Link Centre by St Bernadette College, London,
working with Julie Norburn of Art4Space

The competition is sponsored by Topps Tiles and organised by BAMM, The British Association for Modern Mosaic. BAMM recognises that introducing mosaic art into schools is an exciting way of increasing enthusiasm and understanding of the art. Mosaic making has many unique benefits to offer schools including: links with curriculum subjects; an exciting combination of art and craft skills; the chance for many to come together to improve our environment, not to mention teamwork, dexterity, building confidence and just having good fun!

In addition, this year your attention is drawn to some very worthy charitable work being done in Nepal, where mosaic projects are being used to rehabilitate and provide an income for disadvantaged children and young adults from this severely impoverished part of the world. Read more about how you could forge links with a school in Nepal HERE.

Every mosaic artist, teacher or parent who has had the opportunity to work in education will talk with animation of how children are vitalised by the challenge of being introduced to this ancient craft. Colour and construction stimulate the senses and charge the imagination, dull educational establishments and stark play areas can be transformed with bright works of art and give the pupils an immense sense of pride in their achievements and a new respect for their environment. For ideas of projects to do in your school see the MMM education pages, if you are a teacher or artist with a successful project to share please contact the Mega Mosaic Makers website and they will feature it.

The entries submitted last year delighted the judges and bear testament to the aims and aspirations of the organisers of this competition. The winning mosaic ‘The Weir Link’, winning £650, was made by St Bernadette’s Junior School in London, with artist Julie Norburn of ‘Art4Space’. All the main prize winners, including the 4 ‘highly commended’ entries and 12 ‘runners up’, are featured on the ‘2008 entries’ page on the Mega Mosaic makers website.

Many thanks are due to Viv Johns of Topps Tiles for organising the generous sponsorship which has made this competition possible. Topps Tiles supports the community and many mosaics have been produced with its support. Some are featured on the community page, if your school has worked with Topps and you would like to see your work displayed here please email photographs and text to topps@megamosaicmakers.org.uk.

Learn more about BAMM, the British Association for Modern Mosaics.

BAMM was founded in 1999 and exists to promote, encourage and support excellence in contemporary mosaic art and to raise public awareness of modern mosaic art through exhibitions, publications, events and related educational activities.

By joining BAMM you have access to an enormous amount of information about mosaic making, from enthusiast to professional, some of most emminent names in the British mosaic world are active members.

Members are entitled to ‘Grout’, which is BAMM’s fantastic regular source of news, reviews, information and inspiration from the world of mosaics, published three times a year in full colour and is exclusive to members.

Every BAMM member can exhibit their work both in the exclusive members section of the website, which is an internationally recognised portal for mosaic enthusiasts, and also submit work to exhibitions at various UK locations.

You can also find out information and links to many other mosaic related sites. ‘Andamento’ is the annual journal free for BAMM members which looks in depth at modern mosaics and recent mosaic history. 'Andamento' is also available to buy online on the BAMM site. A growing number of mosaic tile and equipment suppliers offer discounts on their products to BAMM members. Various memberships are available.

www.bamm.org.uk