Youth Week is an annual celebration of the positive contribution young people make to communities across Australia, and this year’s program in the Mid Coast region kicks off with a photo exhibition created by young locals, to be displayed at Manning Regional Art Gallery from Friday, April 13 to Sunday, April 22.

Photo submissions, under the Youth Week theme of “Unity through Diversity”, are now open to the more than 10,000 people aged 12 to 24 years living in the Mid Coast region, bounded by Tea Gardens and Hawks Nest in the south, Johns River to the north, and extending west as far as Gloucester and Stroud.

“This is a first for our youth week program, and something that gives young locals the opportunity to get involved in a really meaningful way,” Russell Ingram, MidCoast Council’s youth officer, said.

“Taking part requires entrants to carefully consider the uniqueness of the people in our local area and how it makes us a stronger community, and then capture this concept in a photo.

“Whether it’s diversity in ethnicity, religion, ability, cultural and family traditions, what people think, do or wear, “our differences are our strength, and an all-in, cohesive approach is what makes us a far more successful and harmonious community”, he added.

To have the opportunity for your photo to be exhibited at the gallery, visit www.midcoast.nsw.gov.au/NYW18 for an online submission form. Entry is free, and up to four different photos can be submitted per person, along with a title and short description of how your image embodies the theme.

Submissions are open until 11pm Thursday, March 29.

Successful entrants will be contacted and have their photos used in the National Youth Week photo exhibition at the Manning Regional Art Gallery, launching on Friday, April 13 and running throughout Youth Week.

“We’re excited to be welcoming youth from across the entire Mid Coast into the gallery during Youth Week,” Manning Regional Art Gallery director, Rachel Piercy said. “Initiatives like this one are a great way for us to engage with young people, helping them to express themselves through creative channels.”

The photo exhibition is one of a number of events being planned across the Mid Coast region during Youth Week. Other activities include the popular Live n Loud youth concert, and King of the Krater skate competition. Further details will be announced as the program is finalised.

For more information about the photo exhibition and what’s coming up, visit www.midcoast.nsw.gov.au/NYW18.

For more information about state-wide Youth Week events, including a “design a T-shirt competition”, visit www.youthweek.nsw.gov.au

National Youth Week runs from Friday, April 13 – Sunday, April 22. The MidCoast region’s National Youth Week Photo Exhibition has been made possible through the support of MidCoast Council, Manning Regional Art Gallery and the NSW Government.