Toyota Holds 12th Dream Car Art Contest Awards Ceremony

Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) held an awards ceremony for the 12th Toyota Dream Car Art Contest at Mega Web, Toyota's vehicle experience facility in Tokyo's Koto Ward, where the winning entries were announced and awards presented. Entries in this year's contest numbered approximately 650,000 from 76 countries and regions. The award-winning entries (shown below) were selected among winners in national contests.

The artworks of the 12th Toyota Dream Car Art Contest were highly regarded by the judges, who were impressed by their exceptional quality, noting that this year's entries articulated dreams through lighter application of colors in contrast to past trends toward more vivid colors.

This year's entries also featured a broader range of colors, demonstrating, for example, that the use of colors in artworks from cold-region countries such as Ukraine and from tropical countries like Kenya left clear impressions of the countries from which the artists came. 

The judges were also struck by the shift in messaging relayed by the artworks this year. Artworks that defied reality―flying and space-traveling cars―took center stage last year. In contrast, many of this year's artworks highlighted familiar, more realistic themes such as the environment, education, health, and the curing of diseases. The judges believe that this demonstrates children are acutely aware of issues of importance to the next generation, in addition to fantastical themes.

The Toyota Dream Car Art Contest, first held in 2004, gives children around the world the opportunity to feel the joy and importance of having dreams. It is also meant to provide children an occasion for developing an interest in cars. Thanks to the support and cooperation of the children around the world who draw/paint their works and send them in, and of the distributors and affiliates who organize local competitions in their respective countries or regions, the contest marked its 12th year in 2018.

There were approximately 650,000 entries from 76 countries and regions this year. National contests were held around the world from October 2017 to March 2018, with the winning artworks submitted to be judged in the world contest, which was held in April in Japan. President Akio Toyoda, art experts, and automotive specialists from outside Toyota judged the entries and selected the award winners in the contest's three age categories.

One Gold award, two Silver awards, three Bronze awards, and four Encouragement awards are awarded in each of the three categories of "Age 7 and under," "Ages 8-11," and "Ages 12-15."

There are three special awards: The President Akio Toyoda Award (chosen by President Akio Toyoda), the Engineering Inspiration Award (chosen by Executive Vice President Didier Leroy) and the Makes Me Smile! Award (an online voting award).