Leonardo 4 Children Awards 2024

Following the success of the previous five editions in 2019-2023 with 2,652 children participating to the Awards and more than 4,700 participants in 15 workshops and concerts, the Carano 4 Children foundation and its partners are pleased to launch the 6th edition of the  “Leonardo 4 Children: Climate, Equality & Peace” non-profit initiative, aiming to empower children and young people across Europe to contribute to address the issues of climate change, social equality including gender equality, and peace between people while supporting children in need through art and science education.

The non-profit initiative “Leonardo 4 Children” includes international Awards which represent a kind of “miniNobel” for children. In fact, if Leonardo da Vinci were reborn today, 500 years after his death, he would not need to solve the problems of discovering the functioning of human body, or inventing ways to make man flying, or inventing machines: he would likely focus on using creativity to solve global problems to improve the quality of our lives. We encourage children and young people to develop their creativity and become the new Leonardo’s of 21st century.

“Every child can be a genius!”

Leonardo 4 Children: Climate, Equality and Peace

The 2024 edition of the “Leonardo 4 Children” Awards received the record number of 186 applications for its three categories, involving a total of 589 participants. This brings to 3,250 the number of total participants to the “Leonardo 4 Children” Awards, and almost 1,000 works received over the years by the initiative.

Building on the success of previous years with almost 2,700 participants from 20 EU countries and 8 countries outside the EU, the new edition of “Leonardo 4 Children” non-profit initiative includes international Awards focused on Climate, Equality and Peace, open to children aged 6-12, teenagers 13-18 and young music composers aged 16-30, resident in the European Union, as well as in other countries around the World in cooperation with local partners.

The winners were announced by the Juries in June 2024 and the Workshop and Award ceremony took place on 4 October 2024 in Brussels.

The Awards include a new talent development programme with a budget for each winner (total €6,700, between € 750 and € 200 each) to further develop their skills in art & science, recognition, promotion and publication of the winning works.

“Fables on Climate, Equality & Peace”

For children aged 6-12 years old

Fables

The award allows children aged 6-12 to use their creativity and their artistic and scientific skills to create their own original fable to interpret one or more of the following topics:

- climate action and environmental sustainability
- social equality including gender equality
- peace between people

addressing the problem and possibly proposing a solution.

“Art & Science on Climate, Equality & Peace”

For teenagers aged 13-18 years old

Art & Science

The award allows teenagers aged 13-18 to use their creativity and their artistic and scientific skills to create their own original project integrating art and science to interpret one or more of the following topics:

- climate action and environmental sustainability
- social equality including gender equality
- peace between people

addressing the problem and possibly proposing a solution.

“Leonardo 4 Music” Award on Climate, Equality & Peace

For young music composers aged 16-30 years old

Music

Young music composers are invited to compose an original music on the topics of climate, equality or peace, inspired by: Leonardo da Vinci, previous winners of Leonardo 4 Children Awards, or by a movie or by a story/poem on these topics.
The winner nr 1 will be offered the opportunity to use her/his music for a promotional campaign by an international organisation or NGO and the winner nr 2 for the promotional video of Leonardo4Children initiative.

Summary

​The Leonardo 4 Children Awards allow children aged 6-12, teenagers aged 13-18 and young music composers to use and further develop their creativity and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) skills, inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s example, to address a global issue such as climate change, equality and peace.

Object

The “work” submitted for the Awards should be an original creation by one or more participants integrating art & science, on the issue of climate change and environmental sustainability, equality and/or peace, addressing the problem and possibly proposing a solution.

Timetable

  • Open from 15 September 2023 until 15 May 2024
  • Announcement of winners: by 15 June 2024
  • Workshop, Concert & Award ceremony: Friday 4 October 2024 in Brussels

Prizes

The authors of the works with the 10 best scoring will receive an award, consisting in:

  • talent development programme, with a budget for each winner of
    € 750 – € 500 – € 250 (respectively for the winners nr. 1 – 2 – 3 of Leonardo4Music)
    € 400 (top 3 winners Fables and Art&Science)
    € 200 (4th-10th winner of Fables and Art&Science) to develop their skills in art & science, for instance with workshops, courses, meeting with experts, visits and material;

  • publication on “Leonardo 4 Children” book used or raising funds and as donation to children in need;

  • presentation at workshop and award ceremony; promotion on website, social media and promotional material, at public events, institutions or public places including famous museums, and during concerts and events;

  • “Leonardo 4 Children” award certificate.

Special Awards

Partners and sponsors offered special awards, which would consist in special experiences related to art and science, such as for example:

  • workshops on art or science;
  • visit accompanied by experts to art or science site;
  • meeting with a famous personality or an expert in art or science;
  • artistic and scientific material and tools.