We would like to inform you about the Art Speaks Japanese Comes Alive! 2008 Art and Performance Contest which will be held on Saturday, 15th November this year. The objective of this contest is to encourage teachers and students to engage with our new resource kit “Art Speaks Japanese”. In 2008 ’ Art Speaks Japanese Comes Alive!” will be held as a trial in NSW, with a future vision to make it an Australia wide contest for all Japanese students.

This contest requires students to create an artwork or performance work based on the sixteen artworks and/or related tasks in the resource using any medium of their choice. Works may include illustrations, Japanese comic strip creations, songs or language skits performed by students, but all works must be inspired by the resource and include some Japanese language, either written or spoken. (Performance entries will be accepted on video CD or DVD.) Some examples of possible entries include:

• A poster for peace (No. 15, task 3 for middle years)
• A tattoo design (No. 11, task 5 for middle years)
• An original creation of an ’ obake” (No. 8, for both middle and senior schools)
• A haiku reading (No. 13, task 4 for middle years)
• A calligraphy piece (No. 3, for both middle and senior years)
• A Japanese fashion parade (No. 9 for both middle and senior years)
• A performance of a language skit (No 2, task 3 for middle years)
• A comic strip creation based on any of the language skits or themes (Eg. No. 3, task 3 for middle years)
• An original song using some of the language/themes which are used in the kit