Get creative and help save orangutans, tigers and elephants from extinction
Do you know a young person who loves animals or art? Perhaps you know a young environmentalist who wants to make a positive change from home or at school. It’s time to join our annual international OrangARTan Competition!
As your young conservationists get creative, your registration fee will help us rescue orphaned orangutans from the illegal wildlife trade, giving them a second chance at freedom in the wild. You’ll also support the wildlife rangers who protect Sumatran tigers and elephants and their rainforest homes.
Artwork Theme 2022
Our theme for 2022 is "Wildlife and their habitat in Sumatra and Borneo".
Children are encouraged to submit drawings and artwork of Sumatran or Bornean animals and birds in their habitat (such as rainforests, trees or rivers). Our website is a great place to source inspiration for drawings - as are our sister projects, International Elephant Project and International Tiger Project.
Not only that, 2022 is the Year of the Tiger, so what better way to celebrate tigers than by researching and drawing them! We can’t wait to see what your young artists come up with.
Registration Information
With three age ranges and cool prizes to be won, any child aged 4 to 12 can put on their creative cap, research their favourite wildlife of Sumatra and Borneo, choose their colours, and go wild with art! Read on to find out how to register.
If you register more than 90 students in a school, we can provide a live presentation about wildlife conservation and the ecosystems of Borneo and Sumatra. Register early so the presentation can help your students with their ideas and creativity.
Let's do it for the beautiful wildlife of Borneo and Sumatra!
Teachers, if you'd like to register more than 90 students, our team can provide a presentation to your students. Please email us at competition@theorangutanproject.org to enquire and we'll be in touch soon.
Every year, our rescue alliances help to save orphaned orangutans who have been stolen from their mothers for the illegal wildlife trade. The illegal wildlife trade is one of the key threats to Critically Endangered orangutans, and funds raised through the OrangARTan Competition will go towards rescuing more orangutans from this terrible industry.
In the past twelve months, our rescue alliances have rescued ten orangutans, as well as sun bears, eagles, snakes, gibbons, clouded leopards, macaques, cockatoos and slow lorises. We hope with your help to rescue even more precious species from wildlife smugglers!
Beautiful Charlotte was saved from a life of tragedy. After nearly four years of being held captive with a chain around her neck, she was rescued and taken to our Bornean Orangutan Rescue Alliance (BORA) rescue centre in East Kalimantan. Suitably named Charlotte, meaning ‘free woman’ in French, she is now free to play and learn how to climb the trees and become the wild, free orangutan she was meant to be.
Young orangutans Asto and Asih were being held illegally at a suburban home on the Indonesian island of Java when our Sumatran Rescue Alliance (SRA) confiscated them. They were the first orangutans to be taken to our SRA rescue centre, and after medical treatment and care, they are doing well. Now safe from the wildlife trade, they enjoy playing and climbing trees at Jungle School, where they are at the start of their rehabilitation journey.
We also fund wildlife rangers, who patrol and monitor the forests where wildlife such as orangutans, tigers and elephants live. They help remove threats to wildlife, such as snares, and they also educate and work with communities and children to make sure everyone becomes a forest protector! In 2022, the Year of the Tiger, we’re funding a brand new Tiger Team in West Sumatra, who will protect a small but vital population of Sumatran tigers.
OrangARTan Competition Judges
Meet our panel of professional judges! We’re so excited these professional illustrators and artists are judging the final shortlist in all age categories. Our judges have published and illustrated books and worked in the arts industry for many years, and they're all passionate about children's art, nature and orangutans!
Emma Quay
Emma Quay is an illustrator and writer of many award-winning picture books; her memorable characters for My Sunbeam Baby, Rudie Nudie, Baby Bedtime, Shrieking Violet, Bear and Chook, Daddy’s Cheeky Monkey, Good Night, Me and Scarlett, Starlet are favourites on children's bookshelves all over Australia. Her brand-new title for young children, Rudie Nudie Christmas, will be released in October 2020.
Emma grew up in the English countryside and has wanted to illustrate children's books for as long as she can remember. She works from a studio in her home and sometimes feels like she barely leaves it, but her illustrative work is held in collections around the world, including the permanent collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. You can read more about Emma and on her website at or follow her on Facebook or Instagram. Goodnight, Me, illustrated by Emma, forms part of our First Prize in the 4-6 age group.
Ben Pearmain
Ben is an illustrator and kid's creative writing tutor from Melbourne. He has worked on children's book covers, band posters, logo design, typography, zines and comics. He’s also animated a comedy series and a music video and helped design an e-learning program for Deakin University. Ben is a keen amateur naturalist who has been fascinated with apes since childhood and counts seeing real wild orangutans in Borneo as one of the most amazing experiences of his life.
Ben is contributing a brand new piece of artwork of a male orangutan, which he has drawn especially for our inaugural OrangARTan Competition. This one-of-a-kind picture will form part of the First Prize in our 10-12 age group. You can check out Ben’s artwork at here and follow him on Facebook or Instagram.
Eggpicnic (Camila & Chris)
Eggpicnic is a Sydney-based design studio devoted to wildlife conservation set up by designers and birders, Camila De Gregorio and Christopher Macaluso. They produce fine art prints and public art to end wildlife extinction through education. Creating characters that tread a fine-line between art and design, they aim to capture the beauty of the natural world with the hope of inspiring others to protect it. They actively support conservation programs, with profits from their work donated to support scientific research.
Simple yet striking, their work has been transformed into large-scale public art by the City of Sydney, in Sydney Olympic Park and Bondi Beach, bringing nature back into the urban environment. In 2019 they were recognised for their artistic excellence by the Sydney Opera House, becoming the first winners of their Uncovered Program, with their work selected as the best in the category of Prints, Photography and Art. They work with local and international scientists, with their work exhibited in New York in 2019 as part of New York Audubon’s Summer Exhibition and at The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney in 2019 and 2020. They take part in Key Biodiversity Area surveys, helping to collect data on the ground for research and policy implementation purposes. Their collection features over 200 species of Australian birds including Australia’s critically endangered, vulnerable and iconic fauna. You can read more about Eggpicnic and see their gorgeous illustrations at their website or follow them on Facebook or Instagram.
To register more than one child, please change the amount of tickets required on our website.
If you can't make payment online please contact our team for alternative payment methods.
We will award prizes for the winners in each age group as well as school prizes. There will be a Fundraising Award and a Shortlist Award for schools, including an orangutan adoption for each school. Adoptions are a fantastic way for schools and teachers to make the learning come alive.
Stay tuned by following us on Facebook and Instagram as we'll be announcing even more prizes!