Create a design inspired by the power of protest, the Bristol Bus Boycott, the Race Relations Act, and the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr and have the chance to see your work featured on the big screen in Millennium Square.
Deadline for entries (extended!): 16 November 2025.
2025 marks 60 years since the Race Relations Act of 1965, a historic moment in the UK’s fight for racial equality and justice. To mark this milestone and as part of Bristol Bus Boycott 360 celebrations, West of England Music and Arts has teamed up with Curiosity Un(Ltd) to launch YouthDesign4Change – an art and design competition, open to UK residents in the following age categories:
- 8-11yrs
- 12-15yrs
- 16-18 yrs
Please Note: Entrants must have parental/guardian consent if under 16.
The Brief
We’re asking young artists to create a design inspired by the themes of:
- The Bristol Bus Boycott
- The Race Relations Act
- The legacy of Dr Martin Luther King Jr
- Or your own experience of race, equality and hope for the future
Entries can be responses to any of these themes. Designs can be in any medium – drawing, painting, collage, digital art, mixed media, animation or more.
Find out more about the Race Relations Act and Bristol Bus Boycott to help inspire your designs:
- The Bristol Bus Boycott: A watershed moment for Black Britain – Bristol Museums Collections
- Bristol Bus Boycott 1963 – About a campaign for civil rights and social change in Britain
- Who was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.? – BBC Bitesize
Prizes
The winning entrants from each age category will:
- Have your design displayed on the Millennium Square big screen.
- Receive a free family ticket to We the Curious.
- Get a signed book about Bristol Bus Boycott pioneer Paul Stephenson’s life.
An overall winning design will be selected and also receive:
- £100 worth of vouchers for art materials of your choice.
*Winners under the age of 16 will need to be accompanied by a parent/ guardian or participating school group to attend this event.
The Judging Process
Your work will be seen by an exciting panel of judges from the arts and culture world:
- Luke Jerram – internationally acclaimed Bristol-based artist, known for public art installations seen around the world.
- Oshii – contemporary Bristol artist whose work celebrates culture, identity, and community.
- Curiosity Un(Ltd) – an award-winning think-and-do tank based in Bristol, co-creating inspiring adventures in racial and social justice.
- WEMA – champions for young people’s creativity across the West of England.
Together, they’ll be judging designs based on:
- Creativity and originality – creative ideas and your own unique style.
- Relevance to the theme – how well your design connects to the Bristol Bus Boycott, the Race Relations Act, Dr Martin Luther King Jr’s legacy, or your vision for race equality.
- Impact and presentation – how your work catches the eye and makes people think.
How to enter
Deadline for entries: 16 November 2025
To enter, please fill in the application form further down this page. You will be asked to upload a high quality image of your artwork.
Submission guidelines:
- For visual artworks, please make sure you submit a high quality photograph of your artwork – click on the button below for top tips on photographing your artwork.
- Video or animation submissions should be no longer than 3 minutes. They will need to be uploaded to Vimeo or Youtube and a link to the video sent to us.
- You can only submit one design per participant.
Access and Support
We are committed to making YouthDesign4Change accessible to all young people.
- Entries are welcome in any format – visual artwork, digital design, collage, animation, or any other medium.
- We can provide the competition information and entry form in other accessible formats on request, e.g. in large print or audio.
- Completed entry forms can also be submitted in alternative formats such as audio or video recordings- let us know if you need the entry form questions in another format to allow you to do this.
- If you would like help with submitting your entry, please get in touch and we can arrange for a member of our team to talk you through the process.
- If you have specific access needs and would like support to take part, please get in touch and we will do our best to help.