Drawing comp challenge to youth

Army is inviting young Australians to mark its 125th birthday by asking what an Australian soldier looks like to them.

Our Australian Soldier is a drawing competition encouraging youths aged 4-18 to pick up a pencil, crayon, or paintbrush and draw what they think an Australian soldier looks like – no military knowledge required.

Maj Anne-Maree Hunt, 2026 CA Scholar, developed the concept after a conversation with CA at the 2025 Defending the Arts Festival.

“The Chief wanted something that genuinely engaged the community for the Army birthday,” Maj Hunt said.

“Our Australian Soldier asks the question, ‘What do you see when you see us?’

“Asking children to draw what they see felt like the most honest way to do that.”

The concept was partly inspired by a visit to the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City last year, where Maj Hunt observed powerful artistic expressions created by children. It made her curious about what young Australians would make of their Army.

“Kids will tell you the truth. What they draw is what they actually think, and that’s exactly what we want to know,” she said.

“Do they see a soldier as someone who fights? Someone who helps in a flood? Someone who keeps them safe?”

Along with the drawing, entrants are welcome to include a short, written note explaining what they drew. All entries can be submitted digitally or in hard copy.

Winners will be announced across age categories.

It is a legacy Maj Hunt hopes will endure long after the 125th celebrations.

“The War Memorial typically documents the past. This installation is about documenting our future,” she said. 

“We spend a lot of time talking about what we do but we don’t often stop and ask whether any of it is landing, especially with the next generation – our future soldiers and officers.” 

The competition is open. Full details, entry guidelines and key dates are available on The Cove, the Army’s online community platform.

How to enter

Who: Youths aged 4-18 across Australia

What: Draw an Australian soldier

How: Digital submission with parental/ guardian consent, if under 18, via the Cove website or hardcopy to the Australian Army Research Centre

Prizes: Army backpacks (age category winners); Australian Army Soldier statue (overall winner)

Display: 125 selected entries to be displayed at the Australian War Memorial from September 21 for 100 days Find out more at: www.cove.army.gov.au.