A young, local artist here in Oakville has won a national design contest - and he's now a finalist in the continued global competition.
Seven-year-old Oakville resident Ziyu Alan Wang has won first place in this year's Toyota Dream Car Art Contest in the "kids under eight years old" category. The event is sponsored and organized by car manufacturer Toyota.
After his win at the national level, Ziyu's design will now be one of the nine Canadian entries in the final round of Toyota's global art competition.
Every year, Toyota invites kids across Canada (and around the world) to "find innovative solutions to society's challenges - from environmental issues to social tensions - by designing a ‘dream car’ to help make the world a better place."
Ziyu's design, called Twinkle Twinkle Music Car, flies over the Earth's atmosphere while playing live concerts to "spread joy to the universe," as Ziyu describes it. "Humans," according to the description, "as well as all other forms of life in space - can enjoy the peaceful melodies."
A panel of three Canadian judges were tasked with assessing the entries from kids across the country:
- Larry Hutchinson – President and CEO, Toyota Canada
- Dr. Bonnie Schmidt – President, Let’s Talk Science
- Regina Chan – Managing Director, AutoNerve Media
"The vision, creativity and innovation presented in the design ideas of Canadian children and youth is truly impressive," says judge Larry Hutchinson. "With the reoccurring themes of peace, environmental sustainability, and happiness, it's clear to see that these are the leaders of tomorrow."
The nine Canadian finalists will now be entered into the contest's World Finals for a chance to win a grand prize valued at $5,000 USD. Each Canadian finalist also receives a $250 online retail gift card to KiwiCo.
First held in 2004 and now one of the world's largest global design contests for children, the Toyota Dream Car Art contest "invites future artists, designers and engineers to share their ideas about the future of mobility."
More information about this year's contest can be found online here.