Purpose and content for the evaluation of children's painting competitions

The main purpose of this study was to examine children's painting competitionin terms of objectives and content.This study examines a competition organized by a press house in a depictiveapproach. It was aimed to study the goals of competitions for children?s paintings aswell as the effect of limitations in subject and the chosen materials to be used, onchildren?s paintings. It was also aimed to analyze a set of paintings participating in acompetition for possible acts of plagiarism, imitation or cheating. Besides, jurymembers have been interviewed for the criteria of evaluation that is supposed to beused and how children?s paintings should be evaluated. Paintings have been evaluatedin terms of content and similarities have been highlighted and grouped. According tothe results of the study, on a basis of 100 paintings, 11% have plagiarism and 17%have been originated from works created before about ?global warming?. Aconclusion has been arrived and some suggestions have been created in the light ofthe study.Key Words: Art Education, Children?s painting competition/contest, plagiarism,imitation