WOLLONGONG CITY GALLERY
Just imagine...
Just Imagine is an education exhibition of works from the
Gallery’s collection that invites students to write a story
inspired by one of the artworks on display. The project
encourages students and teachers to respond to artworks
through creative, imaginative writing. It addresses several
objectives of the K-12 English syllabus, which ask students
to compose imaginative narratives, and to explore real and
imagined worlds through close engagement with texts, in
this case, artworks. We encourage all Stage 3 primary
teachers and all Stage 4 and 5 secondary teachers of
English and Visual Arts to become involved.
After the exhibition opens on 26 February:
The exhibition comprises twelve artworks
from the collection, chosen for their potential participating students and teachers can visit the Gallery
to trigger students’ creative imaginations. to experience the artworks
the Gallery’s education staff can facilitate an interactive
engagement with the works that will assist students in
writing their imaginative responses
a one-day Teachers Writing Workshop at the Gallery
on 11 March is offered to provide support for teachers
The writing competition is for primary students in Stage 3,
and secondary students in Stages 4 and 5. There will be four
artworks in the exhibition for each Stage, one of which can be
chosen by each student as the inspiration for their writing.
The word limit is: Stage 3: 300 words, Stage 4: 400 words,
Stage 5: 500 words. The competition is open to all students in
Stages 3, 4 and 5, regardless of whether their class or school
is involved. There is no limit on the number of students that
can be involved or the number of entries a student can submit.
Book vouchers will be presented to writers of the best story for each
artwork, and certificates will be given to all participating students.
Students will have until 2 May to submit their stories to the
Gallery for entry in the competition. The piece of writing judged
the best and most imaginative response to each work will be included
in a booklet with an image of the work that inspired it. The booklet will
be published by the Gallery in time for a special presentation on
Sunday 5 June. For the remainder of the exhibition, visitors to the
exhibition will have the opportunity to read the students’ stories while
viewing the works that provided inspiration.
A selection of entries will be published in The Illawarra Mercury.
Images (from top): Percy Spence, Sunrise - Peace to the Quiet Dead 1962, watercolour, gouache on
cardboard; Vicki Varvaressos, The Best Face Value for Autumn, 1981 synthetic polymer paint, collage of cut
magazine illustrations on canvas; Tony Convey, (detail) Magnetic Animals , 1998, oil on tin on painted wood.