Students challenged to design new Lincoln Magna Carta monument

University students have been given the opportunity to design a lasting testament to this year’s celebrations of the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta in Lincoln.

A winning sculpture design will be produced and stood in pride of place at the University of Lincoln’s Brayford Pool campus, thanks to a £4,500 grant from the Magna Carta Trust’s 800th Anniversary Commemoration Committee.

The city of Lincoln possesses one of only four remaining originals of the 1215 Magna Carta – the document which enshrined the rule of law in England and provided the foundation for democracies around the world.

Having declared 2015 its Year of Liberty, the University of Lincoln has partnered with local, national and international organisations in a range of educational activities which encourage young people to reflect on the meaning of Magna Carta and its significance 800 years on.

An exciting festival of events took place in the city to commemorate the 800th anniversary.

Under its new “Magna Carta – Knowledge is freedom, ignorance is slavery” project, university staff and students will compete to create designs for the sculpture.

It will incorporate a couplet from a new poem by Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy, who will be a member of the judging panel which selects the winning design.

Pupils at primary and secondary schools across the UK can also apply their artistic talents in a parallel competition to create artwork which commemorates the Magna Carta anniversary.

Shortlisted entries will be curated in an exhibition to be hosted at the University of Lincoln. Winners in two age categories will also receive a £50 Amazon voucher.

Professor Scott Davidson, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Lincoln said: “Magna Carta has endured for 800 years and this year’s anniversary is a watershed moment where we can not only reflect on the past, but also look ahead.

“This competition is an opportunity for young people to create a lasting testimony to Magna Carta in a way that enables future generations to gain a sense of the scale and significance of the anniversary celebrations of 2015.”

The closing date for entries in both the sculpture and school art competitions is December 30, 2015. Full terms and conditions on the school art competition can be found online here.