Dacorum Young Artists 2023

Dacorum Young Artists Competition, now in its ninth year, is open to Year 4 & 5 students in Dacorum Borough and featured work from 22 schools this year. Usually there is no set theme for the competition and the work exhibited represents material created over the course of the school year.

There were 640 entrants this year and their entries were displayed at Ashlyns School on 29 April. The judges chose one entry from each of the 22 schools as ‘Best in School’. Among those entries, the ‘Best Overall’ entries were announced on Saturday. 1st was Leon Habachi of Boxmoor School (pictured), 2nd was Cayson Willson of Woodfield School and 3rd was Toby Kellett of Berkhamsted School.

Guest of honour was Jo Connell OBE, Deputy Lord-Lieutenant of Hertfordshire. Mrs Connell is a prominent business figure and was awarded an OBE for services to older people. She is a past Master of the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists and Chair of The Hospice of St Francis.

The judges included leading local artist Mary Casserley and Joan Fisher who represented Open Door, Berkhamsted.

The organisers thanked Ashlyns School for the use of their Hall and Berkhamsted School for the provision of display boards. Thanks also went to the Sponsors, without whom this competition could not have taken place, and their volunteers who mounted the exhibition: the Rotary Clubs of Berkhamsted and Hemel Hempstead, The Arts Society Gade Valley and Ashridge DFAS.The Sponsors were represented by Paul Dubbins, President of Berkhamsted Rotary Club, Rod Pesch, President of Hemel Hempstead Rotary Club, Louise Archer, President of The Arts Society Gade Valley and Barbara Mitchell, Chairman of Ashridge DFAS.