oOh! Community | Art in the Hood 2022

oOh! Community is thrilled to announce the third year running of Art in the Hood school art programme. This year's theme is Road Safety.

Road safety is one of New Zealand's leading community issues. Given our partnership with local councils, as well as the proximity of our shelters to local schools, this is an issue very close to our hearts at oOh!

This year we've been lucky enough to receive some wonderful entries from five primary/intermediate schools across Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington. The students have been asked to create a piece of artwork that celebrates what road safety means to them.

Four lucky winners from each school have been selected by our expert panel of judges to have their artwork displayed on shelters by their schools.

Learn more about our wonderful judging panel and view winning and finalist pieces below.

Having worked for oOh!media in both Australia and New Zealand, Mark has seen his fair share of bus shelters and knows first-hand how great creative presented on this public transport infrastructure can enhance and bring joy to a commuter’s journey. This is why Mark was extremely pleased when asked to be the Wellington judge for this important awareness program on safety, facilitated by the creative imagination of those who use oOh!’s bus shelter network on a regular basis.

Based in Wellington, Mark is looking forward to attending the big unveil and seeing the winning idea being taken off the page and onto the shelter.

Melissa has been involved with the management of AT's Schools programmes for over nine years. She works with a passionate and dedicated team of people who work with schools and communities to implement the Travelwise Behaviour Change and Walking School Bus programmes, promoting road safety in schools across Tāmaki Makaurau.

Melissa has both an allied health and education background, having worked as a physiotherapist and then primary school teacher. She is grateful for the opportunity to judge this year’s Art in the Hood competition as she knows how powerful the voice of our tamariki can be to convey such important messages that can save lives.

Samantha comes from the education sector and was a classroom practitioner for a decade before moving into educational media.

She now works for the Community Transport Team at AT as a Senior on the Travelwise Programme and is instrumental in mentoring Community Transport Coordinators (CTCs) in the planning and delivery of active mode and road safety initiatives in schools across the region. Samantha also enjoys working with local groups to build stronger, safer, communities.

She says “ I believe strongly in grassroot development and empowering our young to make informed and healthy decisions about the way they choose to live and travel. We all need to consider our personal and collective responsibility and to think about how our choices can impact our communities in a positive way – be the solution rather than the problem.”

Congratulations to Sora from Kohia Terrace School for creating the winning Road Safety art piece!

Sora says:

"I drew this art as a 'Thank You' to all the people taking part in Road Patrol. I always feel very grateful for the people on Road Patrol because of how they always keep you safe when crossing roads even if it is a very rainy day.

I spent a long time drawing the art work and colouring it in. The artwork is split into 2 sections; one is happy sunny weather and the other is cold, rainy weather.

I hope you like it!"

2022 Judging Panel

2022 Winners & Finalists

Bayfield School, Auckland

St Mary's School, Christchurch

Westminster Christian School, Auckland

Kohia Terrace School, Auckland

Kelburn Normal School, Wellington