Competition “Animals in Rainis’s Poetry”

The Rainis Museum “Jasmuiža” invites pupils in Years 1–6 at Latvia’s general education schools to take part in the annual creative works competition “Animals in Rainis’s Poetry”.

Rainis was one of the most prominent Latvian poets, and he also wrote poems for children. In his poetry, he often used animal characters to make the world more understandable and interesting for children. Animals helped Rainis tell stories about friendship, kindness, curiosity and courage.

The competition is dedicated to promoting interest in Rainis’s literary work and fostering young people’s creative thinking, inspired by the animal characters found in the poet’s works.

Competition participants—divided into two age groups: Years 1–3 and Years 4–6—are invited to create a visual artwork inspired by a Rainis poem of their choice that mentions animals. Works may be created using any technique—drawing, painting or mixed media—and must be in A3 format.

The aim of the competition is to inspire interest in Rainis’s poetry, highlight the significance of his literary legacy in contemporary society, and encourage young people’s creative expression through visual art. Each participant may submit one work to the competition.

The submitted works will be evaluated by a professional jury comprising artists, visual arts teachers, and specialists from the Rainis and Aspazija Museum. An exhibition will be created as a result of the competition, and the three best works in each age group will receive awards. The jury may also award certificates of commendation and special prizes.

The deadline for submitting works is 27 March 2026.

The works will be evaluated by 19 April 2026.
The competition’s closing event and awards ceremony are planned for May 2026 at the Rainis Museum “Jasmuiža” in Aizkalne, Preiļi Municipality.