Deadline for entries: Saturday 31st January 2026
Every year, The Big Draw Festival Awards celebrate the incredible creativity, innovation and impact of the organisations, schools, and individuals who take part in The Big Draw Festival around the world.
These awards recognise standout events that embody the spirit of The Big Draw - making drawing accessible, inclusive, and a powerful tool for storytelling, education, wellbeing and social connection.
From libraries and schools to galleries, museums, community groups, and more, the Awards shine a light on the imaginative ways people bring The Big Draw Festival to life.
This year's Award Categories are:
- Drawn Together Award
- The Big Draw Schools Award
- Creative Innovation Award
- Legacy Award
- People's Choice Award
Winners are awarded up to £500 to support future drawing projects, receive bespoke Big Draw Award certificates, and the opportunity to be featured on our website and social media channels.
Whether you hosted a pop-up sketching event, a school-wide puppet parade, or a large-scale community mural as part of The Big Draw Festival, we want to hear from you!
How to Enter
If you signed up and took part in The Big Draw Festival 2025, you’re eligible to apply. Entries are open - email us at enquiries@thebigdraw.org and we'll send you the link to enter!
Deadline to enter: Saturday 31st January 2026
Announcing the Judges for The Big Draw Festival Awards 2025
We’re delighted to announce the judges for The Big Draw Festival Awards 2025!
This year’s judging panel brings together expertise in arts engagement, learning and participation, with experience spanning museums, education, architecture and community-focused practice. Together, their perspectives reflect the wide range of settings, approaches and organisations that make up The Big Draw Festival.
We’re incredibly grateful to Catherine Ritman Smith, Jane Sillis, and Narinder Sagoo for lending their time and insight to the Awards, and for helping us shine a light on the outstanding work taking place across The Big Draw Festival worldwide.
The judges will meet at the end of February to review the submissions, with winners announced shortly afterwards. Thank you to everyone who has taken part and entered!
Catherine Ritman-Smith
Catherine is Head of Learning and Engagement at Young V&A, an award-winning museum of creativity for children, and at V&A East, two new sites in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park which create unprecedented access to V&A collections and explore global creativity and making.
Spanning two decades, Catherine’s career focuses on collaboration with audiences, inclusive creative education and on supporting careers insight for young people. Past roles include leading learning at Somerset House and the Design Museum.
A lifelong resident of East London, Catherine is a local charity trustee, a school governor and an enthusiastic chorister in her community.
Jane Sillis
Jane Sillis was Director of Engage, the National Association for Gallery Education the lead body for the visual arts engagement and participation workforce in the UK. Engage’s members across the UK and internationally work in galleries, museums, heritage and with the visual arts. Jane led Engage from 2005 to 2025 an organisation she helped found in 1989. Before joining Engage she was a consultant specialising in audience engagement in museums and galleries across the UK and internationally. Clients included Tate, the National Gallery, the British Council, Clore Duffield Foundation, DCMS & DFE and Look Ahead Housing and Care for whom Jane ran an arts programme with homeless people. Jane was Head of Education at Whitechapel Gallery in the 1990's and has also worked at Ikon Gallery, the Museum of London, Science Museum, the British Council and in a local authority. Jane has been a trustee of many arts organisations, including the Institute of International Visual Arts (iniva) and Chisenhale Gallery and currently serves on the boards of the Sharpham Trust and Spike Island Arts. Jane is an accredited coach.
Narinder Sagoo
Narinder is a visionary architect, artist and Senior Partner at Foster + Partners, renowned for his perspective drawings. With 30 years of experience working alongside Lord Foster, Narinder's unique drawing skills have been instrumental in illustrating and communicating architectural visions for more than 2,200 projects.
Beyond his creative endeavours, Narinder is an active Patron for The Big Draw and passionately dedicates his spare time to inspiring the next generation of artists and designers nationally, through charity work and fundraising efforts. He has collaborated with organisations like Intermission Youth Theatre, LP4Y and Save the Children and has used drawing as a tool for advocacy and peace-making in West Africa.
Notably, in the 2023 King's Birthday Honours, Narinder was awarded an MBE in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of architecture and his dedication to serving the community.
