Get to Know Your Wild Neighbours with Robert Bateman Contest

Canadian youth, listen up: Robert Bateman’s Get to Know Society has launched its 2012 Get to Know Contest and is accepting entries from young people across the country.

The Get to Know Program was created by internationally acclaimed Canadian artist and naturalist Robert Bateman, in an effort to foster connections between young people and nature. And a key part of getting kids interested in the environment is encouraging them to get outside, and learn the names and characteristics of the wildlife around them.

But the program, whose motto is “Connect. Create. Celebrate.”,  goes further than just connecting nature and kids—it’s also about becoming inspired to create works of art of all genres about nature, and then celebrating these works of art. That’s where the Get to Know Contest, in cooperation with the Canadian Wildlife Federation, comes in.

Since 2000, hundreds of thousands of young Canadians have participated in the Get to Know Contest, by getting outdoors and observing nature, creating artwork of their choice, and entering it for prizes. This year’s theme, “Get to Know Your Wild Neighbours,” is about acknowledging that regardless of whether we live in the country or city, wildlife is all around us every day and should be celebrated!

Four steps to enter
If you’re Canadian and 19 or younger, you’re eligible to enter. There are four steps to enter:

1. Get outdoors and discover your wild neighbours! 
2. Create visual art, writing, photography, videography, or (new this year!) music about a “wild neighbour.” And don’t limit yourself to just one—you can enter as many categories as you want, but check out the rules and regulations for details. Each category is endorsed by a famous Canadian. Margaret Atwood, for example, is the official endorser of the writing category.
3. Enter online.
4. Stay involved. Check back to see if your entry has been posted online, or to view other entries. 

Some of the amazing prizes include: $100 cash awarded to the top winner of each category, your entry published in the 2013 CWF Get to Know Contest Calendar and the fall edition of the CWF WILD magazine, the chance to take part in the August 2012 week-long Get to Know Art and Nature Camp at a national park in Canada, and many more.

Are you a US citizen?
You can still enter! Check out the Get to Know Contest’s US page for information.

Also make sure to check out events happening across Canada.

The contest closes July 16, 2012, so if you know a talented kid who loves the outdoors and has a knack for art, writing, photography, video production, or music, pass it on today!