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Porsche’s third annual ‘Empowering the Future’ Art Contest witnesses record entriesPorsche’s commitment to supporting youth education in China inspires the artists of tomorrow


Shanghai/Chongqing. On October 30, Porsche China and the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute (SFAI) hosted the third annual awards ceremony and exhibition opening for the Porsche ‘Empowering the Future’ Art Contest at the Chongqing Art Museum, located in the grounds of the SFAI campus. This ongoing collaboration, which recognises and rewards young, up and coming artists, marks Porsche’s firm commitment to providing educational support to China’s youth through its ‘Empowering the Future’ programme, the cornerstone of the marque’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) within the country.

Amid the competition artworks exhibited, was a display area showcasing one of the six Porsche Cayenne Mobile Educational Training and Resource Units (METRU) that have been specially modified as part of a joint initiative with UNICEF under Porsche’s CSR programme, to carry teaching resources, sports equipment and trained staff to remote areas in the three provinces of Sichuan, Gansu and Yunnan, in order to give children additional educational assistance. Thanks to this vital aid from Porsche, guests learned that since 2009, the METRU programme has benefited over 131,804 students and provided training to over 8,189 teachers from 441 schools in Sichuan and Gansu alone.

With the rules of this year’s contest being extended to include painting, photography and sculpture, there have been a record number of entries from talented SFAI students, who, if successful, will be given a unique opportunity to have their work displayed at selected Porsche Centres throughout China, thereby reaching a wider audience whilst at the same time raising awareness among members of the public to support better education for children and youth in isolated areas. By October 15, an outstanding 389 submissions had been accepted, more than three times the number of entries for last year’s competition, making the judging process difficult due to the high standards of work. After much deliberation, ten winners were chosen and each awarded a cash prize, with the top three students also winning a trip to Germany, where they will visit some of the country’s most renowned art institutions, in addition to the Porsche museum in Stuttgart.

Of the 389 works submitted, the first place was awarded to Long Xuemei and Tang Ruijingya for their collaborative piece in mixed media, entitled “Study of the Children Left Behind”. The work depicts a year in the lives of children left behind in the villages by migrant workers, using words, sketches, photographs and other media, to draw attention to their situation.” The second place was the sculptural work “Made in China” by ceramics student, Li Ju, consisting of 15 Porsche cars modelled in clay. The title of the piece is a play on words – china also meaning porcelain – and portrays the link between China and Porsche, whilst at the same time alluding to Porsche’s rich cultural heritage. Coming in third place, Yue Jundong, created “Drawing the Dreams” in oil on canvas, which shows a young village girl dreaming of her future, which can be fulfilled if she follows her heart.

Porsche and the Sichuan Institute of Fine Arts are both committed to supporting and improving education for all, so it gives me great pleasure to collaborate on this art contest for a third successive year,” said Mr. Helmut Broeker, Chief Executive Officer of Porsche China. “From the calibre of work on display the contest has certainly inspired exceptional creativity and helped raise further awareness about the Porsche Mobile Educational Training and Resource Unit programme (METRU), an integral part of our ‘Empowering the Future’ initiative to give young people equal learning opportunities in life no matter where they are and what their situation is.”

Mr. Luo Zhongli, Head of SFAI, said, “We are delighted to work with Porsche once again and are proud to see a record number of students participating in this year’s ‘Empowering the Future’ Art Contest, which has established a platform to support and encourage student development, so as to reach their highest potential. With the opportunities presented through this contest, we are confident many students will be motivated to volunteer and assist in improving the level of education in rural areas that are not easily accessible.”

“It’s a real treat for me to support this year’s ‘Empowering the Future’ art contest organized by Porsche and the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute,” said Mr. Tim Sutton, Deputy Representative of UNICEF China and member of the judging panel. “UNICEF is working together with Porsche to develop innovative solutions to help extend education to China’s most vulnerable children. Our work in support of the Ministry of Education is making a big difference for children.”

Porsche is deeply committed to giving back to the communities in which it operates by being a responsible corporate citizen. Through its collaboration with SFAI on the ‘Empowering the Future’ Art Contest, Porsche remains dedicated to supporting the artistic education of youth in China, whilst at the same time providing educational aid for schools in distant, rural areas through the MERTU programme. By raising awareness of these programmes among Porsche Centres, loyal customers and members of the public, Porsche will continue to invest in the future of China’s youth.

11/1/2012