Swindon schools showcase creativity in local competition
10/31/2022
To celebrate the opening of the new Swindon office, Zurich has held an art competition with local schools to find a piece of artwork to take pride of place inside the new space.
This month has seen the opening of Zurich’s new state of the art office building in Swindon, Unity Place. Located in the heart of Swindon, the new office aims to be a positive beacon on the city’s skyline which embraces a sense of community, wellbeing, and sustainability.
One of the focuses of the new building is working with the local community. As part of this, Zurich aims to bring the voice and talent of our local schools into the office building, for Zurich employees and the public alike to enjoy.
Over the last few weeks, Zurich have held a competition with several schools in Swindon, asking them to create a piece of art which depicts what sustainability means to them. Pupils aged 7 to 11 have tapped into their creative side to draw, sketch, paint and collage on the theme.
The artworks were judged last week under the keen eye of John Keppel, Chief Sustainability Officer at Zurich, and artist Charlotte Kidger, who was commissioned to produce artwork for the exterior of the new building.
Charlotte herself was chosen from a shortlist of 30 artists given her focus on transforming industrial waste materials to create beautiful but functional objects in a project delivered by Ginkgo Projects.
The pupils’ entries showcased local talent, but also their engagement and interest in issues surrounding sustainability.
Unity Place continues to be the home of Zurich Community Trust (ZCT), the charity arm of Zurich Insurance in the UK. It was therefore a pleasure to see entries from our local ZCT schools in Swindon.
John Keppel, Chief Sustainability Officer at Zurich, said: “It is fantastic to see such a great response from our local schools in Swindon. The young people have truly engaged with the theme of sustainability and have interpreted it in many different and thought-provoking ways. I am now just waiting impatiently to see the artwork hanging on the wall of our new office!”
The London-based artist, Charlotte Kidger, added: “The artworks showed such a range of mediums, with a mix of direct and indirect messages. I loved seeing the balance between creativity and the message the pupils wanted to convey. It is good to know young people are thinking about these issues and it was insightful to see their perspective of sustainability and the future of our planet."
The winner will be announced next month, with the winning entry taking pride of place in the new building’s café, which is open to both Zurich employees and staff guests. The winner will also be invited to the artwork’s unveiling in early 2023.
