Pupils have their talents down to a fine art

MISSIO Scotland’s annual Christmas art contest for 2025 proved to be another showcase for some of the wonderfully talented artists we boast in our schools.

The competition, which is open to young people of all ages in Scotland’s Catholic primary schools, invites children to submit a piece of artwork depicting one of the following: The Nativity; the Magi; the shepherds; Mary with the Baby Jesus; Mary and Joseph travelling to Bethlehem; the newborn Jesus in the manger; or the Angel Gabriel.

All schools who take part can achieve a star for their school as part of our Missio Scotland Five Star Schools initiative, while the pupils themselves who are announced as winners have their artwork would then be displayed in each of the diocesan cathedrals during Advent and Christmas, receive gift voucher for Smyth’s Toy Superstore and have their designs used as Missio Scotland’s official Christmas cards in 2026.

A brilliant drawing of a very happy angel by Alayiah Strain (above), a P5 pupil at Mount Carmel Primary School in Kilmarnock was one of the first winners chosen by our judges. Alayiah was delighted to receive her prize at a school assembly and said: “Thank you for my prize, I am looking forward to spending this.”

"Mount Carmel Primary School are very proud of Alayiah and this wonderful achievement,” HT Andrea Fergusson added. “It is such a beautiful angel and we are incredibly excited to see how it will look on the Christmas cards for 2026."

Another winning entry from Galloway Diocese came from Isaac Ledingham, a P2 pupil from St Patrick's Primary School in Troon, whose lovely drawing our Our Lady and the Baby Jesus was artistically impressive too.

Heading up the coast to Paisley Diocese, we were blessed to receive a wonderful piece of art depicting Baby Jesus in the manger from James Coyle (above), a P5 pupil at St Joseph's Primary School in Greenock, which secured his prize.

“I worked very hard on my artwork,” James said. “I wanted it to capture what Christmas is all about, which is celebrating the birth of Jesus. I feel super happy and grateful to have won the competition!"

"We have been delighted to celebrate James' success and use that as a continuing encouragement for all pupils to engage and develop their faith journey,” St Joseph’s headteacher, Alan Graham, added.

Travelling west to the Archdiocese of Glasgow and Motherwell Diocese, the judges were treated to a fabulously unique take on an angel from Jessica Patel (above), a P6/7 pupil at St Monica’s Primary School in Milton, while perhaps one of the most fantastic entries we have ever received came from Cara Cochrane, a P7 pupil at St Aloysius Primary School in Chapelhall, who wowed the judges with her drawing of Baby Jesus asleep in the hay with the animals keeping watch.

“I feel really good about being a winner of the competition!” Jessica said, while her headteacher Martin Broadley chimed in: “I am so proud of Jessica and happy that her God given talents enabled her to produce such a wonderful entry for the Christmas Cards.”

In the east, in the Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh, Holy Family Primary School in Winchburgh supplied two winning entries. A brilliant artwork of the Magi by Eva Maria Fulga, a P5 pupil  and a phenomenally detailed Nativity scene by Eliza Smietanka, a P7 pupil were two very worthy winners and both girls (above) were delighted with their achievements.

“I feel good about winning the art competition because I really liked my picture,” Eva said. “I am excited about my drawing being a Christmas Card.”

“I feel really proud of myself because I have never won this type of competition and I have always wanted to,” Eliza added. “It is going to be amazing because my work is going to be published for the public to buy and it is going to a great cause.”

In the North of Scotland, a school that never fails to deliver artistic excellence from its pupils—St Joseph’s Primary School in Inverness—were once again among the winners courtesy of a brilliant drawing of Our Lady and the Baby Jesus by Zuzanna Szumska (above).

“I was very happy and proud to be a winner and when I told my mum she was also happy and she said she is going to buy lots of cards to send to my family,”  Zuzanna said.

“I am delighted that Zuzanna was successful with her entry to the Missio Christmas Artwork Contest,” St Joseph’s headteacher, Angela Selkirk, said. “St Joseph’s RC Primary is a Missio Scotland Five Star School and we are always keen to continue supporting our chosen school charity in as many ways as we can. This competition further raises awareness across our whole school community and we look forward to selling our cards when the time comes.”

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