The Nottingham based group, which is part of the city council's youth arts programme Creative Room, produced several superbly innovative designs using a number of interesting methods. Although all the designs were excellent, The NYA ultimately selected two - one showing hands forming peaceful dove shapes and another showing a girl using torchlight to form a green Christmas tree shape.
Andy Hopkinson, head of media services at The NYA, said: "It seemed fitting that as part of our practise what we preach work we should give a youth arts group the opportunity to design our card. We are absolutely delighted with the results. Art On Toast has done a wonderful job."
All the young people at Art On Toast are working towards a Young People's Arts Award, and the entire project is strongly youth led.
The group worked through a series of eight workshops with a professional designer where they accessed a number of art forms, including photography (including long exposure techniques), stencilling, typography/layout, printing and creative writing. They used a number of techniques to achieve their startling effects. Hayley Strawson said: "It was cool. We got to work with new equipment and found new ways of working objectively."
Sarah "Fuzzy" Anstill added: "We worked with a professional perspective and incorporated our own ideas with theirs."
The cards could not be religious in imagery, which meant the young people had to use their imaginative skills.
Amy Oates said: "We learned to think outside the box, while incorporating many themes together." Jack Donohoe added: "We got to be ourselves and be creative."
