If you had walked through Waterloo Station on 5th June, it would have been hard to miss the giant indoor ad screen showing a Waterloo sunset, and the many young artists occupying the station floor.
It was UN World Environment Day, and a Pop-Up Art Class was created to launch the national initiative It’s Our World, a project that invites young people aged 4-19 to create an artwork that celebrates where they live. Developed by Healthy Planet and Start -Business in the Community, one of The Prince's charities with over 20 partners including The Eden Project, The Wildlife Trusts and The Campaign for Drawing, It’s Our World aims to create the largest online collection of artwork mapping the British Isles.
It also aims to promote more sustainable living, by encouraging young people to take pride in their hometowns, and to take smalls steps in reducing waste and saving energy and water.
It’s Our World is partnering with The Campaign for Drawing's The Big Draw 2014, who has this year adopted the theme ‘It’s Our World’ to celebrate urban, coastal and rural landscapes through drawing.
Several celebrities have also given the campaign their full support, including Fearne Cotton, Michael Morpurgo and Liz Bonnin.
At the launch event at Waterloo Station, organised by Cool It Art, art students and school children illustrated their local Lambeth and Westminster landscapes, using art materials donated by Cass Art and Faber-Castell.
Flyers were also distributed on which people could draw scenes from their own worlds.
These drawings can be uploaded to Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #drawyourworld, to have them featured on the Cass Art homepage and be in with a chance to win £250.
Even if you missed the launch event in Waterloo, you can still send your artwork into It’s Our World.
Their online gallery is open for submissions from the end of September 2014 through to the end of May 2015, Artwork will be exhibited on screens nationwide on UN World Environment Day next year.
Register your school or group and take part by visiting their website here.