CREATIVE kids are being given the opportunity to showcase their talents by taking part in the St Helens Youth Open Art Competition.

Youngsters under 16 who live, work and study in the town can submit their work in a range of media from drawings to textiles, sculpture, painting or photography.

The competition is free to enter and is being organised jointly by The World of Glass, St Helens Council’s Arts Service and St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic High School which is a specialist school for the visual arts.

Submissions will be judged and exhibited at The World of Glass.

All work submitted must be original. Due to space limitations, artwork submitted by key stage one, two and three pupils must not exceed A3 size.

For key stage four pupils, the limit is A1.

Only one entry per person will be accepted, but schoolteachers are asked to ensure that only the best work is submitted not whole classes. All work must be clearly labelled on the reverse with name, age, key stage and school, and accompanied by an entry form available from libraries, The World of Glass or St Augustine (01744 678112).

The exhibition of work will take place at The World of Glass from Saturday, March 22 to Friday, April 18 between 10 am and 5 pm. The prize presentation takes place on Thursday, March 27.

Competition entries can be submitted at St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic High School, Boardmans Lane, St Helens, WA11 9BB between 9am and 4pm from Monday 24 February to Friday 7 March. Late entries will not be accepted.