Roma’s “Legenderry” collage wins illustration competition

The artistic ability of Good Shepherd Primary School pupil Roma Bradley will be on display on a special postcard to promote Derry-Londonderry’s bid to become UK City of Culture after her fantastic design claimed first place in the “Legenderry”competition organised by the Culture Bid Team in partnership with the Verbal Arts Centre’s “2D Comics Festival.”

The “Legenderry” competition asked school children to come up with a design that could convey the city’s great creativity and culture to aliens who landed in Guildhall Square on the theme of  “I think we’re Legenderry because. . .”

Roma’s striking collage design, featuring representations of the City Walls, the new Peace Bridge and images of cultural activity from around the city, was chosen from a massive number of entries from schools across the city.

Comic book artist in residence at the Verbal Arts Centre, David Campbell, explained why Roma’s design had been chosen from the many entries received.

“We received so many fantastic entries in the competition and it really was hard to select an overall winner. But Roma’s innovative design really stood out, her use of collage is really eye-catching and we felt the selection of images that Roma used summed up creative and cultural activity within the city. I think this has been a great way to encourage the youth of the city to play their part and become involved in the City of Culture bid.”

Roma’s design and that of all the age category prizewinners are now on display at the Void Gallery where they can be viewed for the next two weeks. The full list of prizewinners is listed below.

Overall Winner – Roma Bradley Good Shepherd Primary School

Category winners: Age-group 12 – 16, 1st - David Trotter ~ St. Columb’s College (Picture Framed in Void + £50 Foyleside Voucher)

Age-group, 8-11, 1st  -  Roma Bradley ~ Good Shepherd Primary School (Picture framed in Void + £50 Foyleside Voucher)
2nd -  Aoife Harley ~ Hollybush Primary School (Picture framed in Void + £25 Foyleside Voucher)
3rd -  Callum Gray ~ Good Sheperd Primary School (Picture framed in Void + £10 Foyleside Voucher)

Age-group, 4-7, 1st  - Caitlin Doherty ~ Longtower Primary School (Picture Framed in Void + £50 Foyleside Voucher).
2nd – Shea Frazer ~ Longtower Primary School  (£25 Foyleside Voucher).
3rd -  Shanna Mc Callion ~ Longtower Primary School (£10 Foyleside Voucher).

Highly Commended  Chloe Anderson, Courtney Kyle (Long Tower PS); Chloe Doherty, Tiffany McGinley, Aimée Smith,
Eloise Smyth (Good Shepherd); Declan Maher, Bridget Coyle, Una Hepburn (Hollybush Primary School).

Prize Winners from Legenderry Illustration Competition which was held as part of the Derry-Londonderry City of Culture 2013 bid pictured after the results of the competition where announced. From left are, Roma Bradley, Good Shepherd Primary School, Callum Gray, Good Shepherd Primary School, Caitlin Doherty, LOnf Tower Primary School and David Trotter, St. Columb's College. Included are, Maolissa Boyle, The Void Gallery, Bridin Crilly, Verbal Arts Centre and Sinead Harkin, City of Culture Bid Office. Picture Martin McKeown. Inpresspics.com. 3.6.10		Eleven years old Roma Bradley from Good Shepherd Primary School who was the overall winner of the Derry-Londonderry UK City of Culture Bid Legenderry Illustration Competition. Picture Martin McKeown. Inpresspics.com. 3.6.10
Aoife Harley (11) from Hollybush Primary School who was one of the prize winners in the Derry-Londonderry UK City of Culture Bid Legenderry Illustration Competition. Picture Martin McKeown. Inpresspics.com. 3.6.10		David Trotter from St. Columb's College who was one of the prize winners in the Derry-Londonderry UK City of Culture Bid Legenderry Illustration Competition. Picture Martin McKeown. Inpresspics.com. 3.6.10
Callum Gray  from Good Shepherd Primary School who was one of the prize winners in the Derry-Londonderry UK City of Culture Bid Legenderry Illustration Competition. Picture Martin McKeown. Inpresspics.com. 3.6.10		Caitlin Doherty from Long Tower Primary School who was one of the prize winners in the Derry-Londonderry UK City of Culture Bid Legenderry Illustration Competition. Picture Martin McKeown. Inpresspics.com. 3.6.10

Notes to Editor:

Derry -Londonderry is one of four cities shortlisted in the race to become the UK’s City of Culture in 2013, along with Birmingham, Norwich and Sheffield.   Since it was shortlisted in February 2010, support for the campaign has been rapidly building momentum, with thousands of people backing it on Facebook. The city’s crusade has also received support from the United States, with the US Economic Envoy to Northern Ireland, Declan Kelly, backing Derry-Londonderry's bid. The city submitted its bid at the end of May 2010, and the winner of UK City of Culture 2013 will be announced in the summer.  It’s an important opportunity for the city, to share the diversity of the area, and its extraordinary past and exciting future, with the rest of the world.  Register online at www.cityofculture2013.com and get involved.

For further press information contact the City of Culture Press Office on 028 7137 6575