Guidelines for the Computer Design and Animation Competition
"Cats - Big and Small"

The competition "Cats - Big and Small" is held in conjunction with the events of the annual holiday "The Day of the Hermitage Cat."

An overview of the competition: The development of the creative abilities of children, deepening inter-museum cooperation and collaboration at the level of education and youth volunteer programs.

Objectives of the contest:

• Identify and support gifted children
• Generate interest in history and art among younger generations
• Encourage participants to use written resources in their work
• Raise awareness of the history and traditions of the Hermitage among children and youth
• Engage children and young people in the preparations for the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the State Hermitage Museum

Competition dates:

March 1, 2012 - April 21, 2012

Rules and conditions of the competition:

1. Works are accepted in the following categories:

• Digital Art and Graphics
• A multimedia presentation (PowerPoint, etc.)
• Flash-animation and Gif-animation
• Video

2. The following information must be included with each submission: title of the work, full name of the creator, age, school (class number), city, and country. The work's file should also specify the grade and school, first and last name of the teacher, and contact information (e-mail, telephone number).

3. Deadline for submission: before April 7, 2012

4. Works must be submitted by e-mail to: hermitage.competition@gmail.com
or to the Office of Volunteer Service (tel: (812) 710-98-76).

5. Results of the competition:

The judges will select the winners by April 15, 2012.
The selected pieces will be displayed in the rooms of the State Hermitage Museum and gifts will be awarded to their creators.

Themes of the contest:

1. Great cats of antiquity. Representatives of the feline in the mythology of the peoples of the world.
For the theme, it is necessary to use knowledge about existing cat cults throughout human history, as well as the discoveries and findings of researchers. Participants are invited to select one or more mythological characters from the cat family, or to submit a work about an ancient cult ceremony and its participants.

2. Big cats in artistic works.
Representatives of the cat family, especially the big cat species (namely lions, tigers, leopards), have been and still are a favorite subject of artists and sculptors. Participants are invited to select an interesting subject displayed in a museum collection, and to prepare a work with a member of a species of big cats as its theme.

3. The story of a cat and ...
Participants are encouraged to choose a member of the cat family and to depict it, what surrounds it, and possibly depict other characters, to represent what its life might have been, full of interesting events and adventures. And then, instead of the dots in the title, there should be a complete title.

4. If I were a cat in the Hermitage.
Participants are encouraged to depict themselves in the role of a cat in the Hermitage and, using their imagination, to portray the cat's life in the Hermitage, its preferences, wishes and dreams.

Entries must be dedicated to members of the cat family. For illustrated material, it is recommended to use a work of art from the Hermitage collection (in addition to the Hermitage monuments, you can use online resources and publications, necessity of which is bound in the theme of the work.)

The competition is organized by:
Volunteer Service of the State Hermitage Museum (www.benevole.ru )
Computer Technology Training Center (www.ucvt.org )
"School Center" Scientific and Methodical Department of the State Hermitage Museum