12 months of celebrating Market Drayton creativity as children’s artwork goes on display for town’s community calendar

Hundreds of pieces submitted for the annual Schools Calendar Project have been showcased at the Festival Drayton Centre during November.

Each year, thousands of children from schools across the town and surrounding villages are invited to produce artwork for the community calendar for 2026.

The project, established in 2014 in collaboration with the Grove School and 12 primary schools, aims to encourage, develop and celebrate children’s creativity through a town-wide event.

Families, friends and residents have been visiting the Festival Drayton Centre in large numbers to view the artwork displayed under the lights.

“They look amazing, there is a lot of talent between the age groups in the town,” said the centre’s manager Gary Hoggarth.

“There are some really nice colours and some really good imagination in the artwork with some great detail. There is a lot of skill and future hope there for a lot of these youngsters.

“Every year we host the exhibition, we have a lot of locals and friends and family coming here to see what the children have produced. It’s great for the centre and then they also have the awards ceremony at the Grove School.”

Grace Cadden, aged 16, from the Grove School, has been selected as the overall winner of this year’s competition. Her artwork – described as “amazing” by Gary – now appears on the front cover of the 2026 calendar and features a Volkswagen campervan set against a scenic backdrop.

Other winners whose designs appear in the calendar include 11-year-old Rueben Sokolov from Moreton Say Primary School, whose work features in January.

Work by Freddie Reed, aged five, from Market Drayton Infant School appears in February, while five-year-old Pixie Moseley from Norton-in-Hales Primary School created the artwork chosen for March.

Eight-year-old Lyra Mayhew from Hinstock Primary School features in April, followed by nine-year-old Sophia Auton-Jones from Market Drayton Junior School in May, and 11-year-old Penelope Nixon from St Mary’s Primary School in Mucklestone in June.

In July, eight-year-old Sebastian Choma from Adderley Primary School is featured, while the August artwork comes from eight-year-old Xander Cadle of Cheswardine Primary School.

For September, the chosen artist is eight-year-old Theo Garnett from Hugo Meynell Primary School, and in October the spotlight falls on four-year-old Alice Lea from Hodnet Primary School.

The November page showcases work by 11-year-old Joshua McLoy from Buntingsdale Primary School, with December featuring artwork by nine-year-old Skyla Dunne from Longlands Primary School.

Mayor of Market Drayton Tim Manton praised the remarkable efforts of all involved, adding: “The standard of work is most impressive. What was most profound though was the incredible creativity of the entrants, some as young as four years old! 

“There was some serious talent on show, and everyone deserved to be very proud of the work they had done. I was somewhat blown away by it all, it was amazing!”