Inspired by the theme of regeneration, 10 high school students from the Principality took part in 2023 Junior Street Art Challenge, part of the annual UPAINT live street art festival, earlier this week.  

Street art has become a hugely popular medium, with the works of recognisable names such as Banksy and Kobra rubbing comfortably alongside those of artists who use more traditional means of portraying their art in terms of prestige and renown.  

For seven years, Monaco’s townhall has embraced the spirit of urban art through its UPAINT (formerly UPAW) urban art festival, and for the past three years, a competition for budding street artists has been a major fixture on the programme.

SELECT JURY 

The jury of this year’s Junior Street Art Challenge was made up of several of the talented street artists who attended UPAINT as well as Françoise Gamerdinger, the Principality’s Director of Cultural Affairs, and Chloé Boscagli Leclercq, representing the Mairie de Monaco in her capacity as Municipal Councillor in Charge of Youth. They were all impressed by the motivation of the young participants as well as by the quality of their work.  

Alberto Colman, the principal organiser of UPAINT, was also on hand to announce the winners.

AND THE WINNERS ARE… 

From 4th to 7th June, two teams of schoolchildren from the Principality battled it out to create the best artwork with the theme of regeneration. In the end it was the team made up of Laure Canonge, Célestine Lung and Mary Custo from the Collège François d’Assise Nicolas Barré (FANB) and Arthur Pucnik-Danty and Anton Grozdanic from Lycée Albert Ier who took the top spot.  

Second prize went to the team from Lycée Albert Ier made up of Clément Bertrand, Lorenzo Tognetty, Albin Vita, Oscar Vita and Hongsub Baek.  

All of the students were given trophies and vouchers from FNAC for their fantastic work and participation.  

Like all pieces created during the event, the students’ works will soon go up for auction, with proceeds going to the Prince Albert II Foundation.  

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Photo credit: Mairie de Monaco