The Valentín de Madariaga-MP Foundation has implemented an educational programme entitled “Art, Nature and the Environment”. This is aimed at secondary school pupils in Seville (aged 12 to 14) and to introduce the First Contemporary Art Competition at Schools.

Up until January 2007, 458 pupils from various schools visited the MP contemporary art collection within the “Art, Nature and the Environment” educational programme. The pupils were guided by students of the Aesthetics Department of the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Seville specialising in Contemporary Art. The educational visit was aimed at making pupils more aware of the natural environment and develop a sense of ecology; familiarise themselves with different art movements that have reflect artists concern for nature; experiences that enable them to appreciate everything associated with Contemporary Art; discover means of aesthetic interpretation and criticism that transform how you look at the work and your attitude towards the work of art; through individual work or as a group.

After the visit, each pupil was given a handbook containing activities to be carried out in their schools and the teachers received a teachers handbook to guide pupils as they carry out their activities. All of these schools were also asked to take part in the First Valentín de Madariaga-MP Foundation Contemporary Art Competition at Schools. Before 15 February 2007, each school had to submit an entry either as a school or as a group of pupils and in the appropriate format (painting, writing, collage, photograph, mural, film, etc). Their entries must be based on Nature and the Environment, the MP Collection’s main theme. The art entries presented will be judged by a group of experts selected by the Valentín de Madariaga-MP Foundation. Judges were looking for work that showed originality, a sense of aesthetics, that research and investigation into Contemporary Art techniques had been carried out and work that contributed to environmental protection. The results of the competition will be announced in March.