New artwork competition winner announced

This year the Melbourne International Comedy Festival ran a competition for new artwork to represent the Class Clowns program. The entry from Year 11 student Hasina Syifa Arlin of Kelvin Grove State College in Queensland, has been selected out of almost 100 submissions by students from across the country.

Hasina is an animation and graphic design enthusiast (and fan of feel-good comedy sitcoms!). Her design brings together a clown face combined with a jester's hat – two symbols of humour that she believes best represents the Class Clowns program’s emphasis on showcasing aspiring comedians.

Tom Dickins, Producer of Education and Development Programs said ‘There has never been a more critical time to listen, lift up and amplify the comedic voices (and graphic talents) of young people. After the most disruptive two years of education imaginable, fostering an environment where our youth can tell their stories, make each other laugh, learn from professional comedians AND help us all find some joy in the world is an essential and joyous experience. I can’t wait to see what the next generation of comedians has in store for us’.

Winner, Hasina Syifa Arlin, said 'I'm absolutely stoked to have won the Class Clowns logo competition! I'd like to thank my Media Arts teacher, Miss Jade Browning, for playing a huge role in my artistic endeavours and letting me know about this amazing opportunity.

'My design is a relatively literal take on 'Class Clowns'. On the train ride home from school, I listed all the things I associated with the phrase 'class clowns' and quickly drew up some initial sketches. In the end, I landed on a clown with a jester's hat. I knew that I wanted to keep the design simplistic and minimalist. As soon as I got home, I jumped onto Illustrator to recreate my design digitally. I liked the colours featured on the Class Clowns website, so I worked that palette into my logo.

'I plan on getting a new laptop with the prize money as my current laptop may collapse in on itself at this rate. I hope that this investment will be beneficial for my future projects in graphic design and animation.'

Melbourne International Comedy Festival works with both established and emerging Australian artists to provide illustrations for key events. This is the first time that the look of the Class Clows program has been designed by someone who would qualify to participate!

For over 25 years, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s Class Clowns program has helped hundreds of young people develop their comedy potential. The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is dedicated to cultivating the next generation of funny people as well as new and unique voices. Class Clowns is part of a raft of development programs that includes RAW Comedy and Deadly Funny,

The Class Clowns program plays a valuable role in supporting the confidence, self-expression and creativity of young Australians. The competition, workshop and mentoring opportunities aim to amplify the voices and perspectives of young people, creating a pathway for emerging Australian talent.

Registrations are now open for the 2022 Class Clowns competition. Participation is free. Participants are only required to have 3-5 minutes of original comedy material, be it stand-up, sketch, narrative, solo, group, musical or physical. Heats will be held around the country in March 2022 and comprise a 2-hour workshop where students rehearse and refine their act with the help of a professional comedian, then an opportunity to perform for a live audience. All registered participants will be provided access to expert advice pre-workshop, through a series of videos from some of Australia’s funniest folk filled with tips and tricks to help get budding performers started on their comedy journey.

The funniest entrants go on to compete in state finals, with the winners invited to participate in the National Grand Final during the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. The overall national winner receives a cash prize of $1,500, and a workshop package for their school.

Click here to sign up to participate in Class Clowns.

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