EDUCATION: The Australian Olympic Team will feel the support of the nation as they enter the Rio Athletes’ Village, with thousands of pieces of children’s artworks lining the walls of athlete’s bedrooms.
The Australian Olympic Committee’s ‘Village Art’ program has been a roaring success ahead of the 2016 Games, with students from over 250 schools submitting more than 9,000 creative masterpieces.
Rio is the first Games the program has been open to secondary students as well as primary classes, who all submitted artworks of their favourite athletes, sports and moments in Olympic history.
Chef de Mission, Kitty Chiller said the artwork adds the final touch to the bedrooms and lets them know that they have the support of the entire country.
“The amount of artwork we have received is incredible,” Chiller said.
“All of the artworks are magnificent and incredibly inspiring, with students taking the time to write their own ‘good luck’ messages to Olympians on the back.”
“We hope that when all of the athletes walk into their bedrooms, they feel at home, comfortable and ready represent Australia as well as they can.”
The Village Art program is a tradition that the AOC has maintains over all summer, winter and youth Games since Sydney 2000, with 2,000 pieces of artworks from 35 schools lining the walls at the London Games.
These numbers have more than quadrupled for Rio, with schools from around the country getting involved in the program.
It won’t be just the Village that is lined with artworks, with the athletes residing in Ipanema Towers at Copacabana Beach and in Marina de Gloria also having their bedrooms decorated.
Aussie athletes can also see artworks hanging in the Team’s new space, ‘The Edge’ where Olympians can train, relax away from the Village and catch up with their family and friends.
Out of the thousands of drawings, sketches and paintings that were submitted, Chiller will select the best primary and secondary artworks to receive a prize thanks to Australian Olympic Team partner, Woolworths.
“It’s fantastic to see our partners also supporting this fantastic education initiative,” Chiller said.
“I’m excited to walk through the Village and pick my favourite artworks, although that is not going to be an easy task.”
The winners will be announced live on Sunrise on Channel 7 on August 1.
AOC staff are busy decorating and preparing the Village, ahead of the first athlete arrivals on July 25.
Schools around Australia can bring the Olympic Games into their classrooms by visiting education.olympics.com.au and downloading lesson plans and resources.
Ashleigh Knight
olympics.com.au
