Talented Zoe wins national art award

A young artist from Virginia has been named a national winner in the 2025 Credit Union Art Competition, one of Ireland’s most popular youth art initiatives.

Zoe Stewart, representing Virginia Credit Union, claimed first place in the Age 8–10 category, with her artwork praised by judges for its creativity, originality, and expressive response to this year’s theme, “The Future Is…”.

Zoe’s artwork was selected from more than 25,000 entries submitted by young artists from across Ireland, making her achievement a proud moment for her family, school, and the wider Virginia community. The national final, held at Croke Park, brought together winners, runners up and their families to celebrate creativity and artistic talent.

ILCU President Brendan Jenkins commended the high standard of this year’s entries, noting that the creativity and imagination demonstrated by young people was exceptional. “Through their work, these artists offer inspiring visions, rich in hope and innovation, of what the future could be. Their pieces reflect both personal dreams and collective possibilities, reminding us that the future is shaped by the ideas and aspirations we choose to nurture today.

Brendan added: "This competition is about far more than winning prizes, it’s about confidence, self-expression, and community pride. Every participant should be immensely proud of their contribution. On behalf of the ILCU, I extend my congratulations to our all our award recipients indeed sincere thanks to every artist who took part in making this year’s competition such a wonderful celebration of creativity."