agIdeas Announce NewStar Design Scholarships

29th August, 2010

agIdeas 2001 NewStar is one of the most prestigious and important design scholarships in Australia for young designers. A call for entries launch party will be held on Thursday 16 September and entries will close on Monday 15 November 2010.

The scholarships include: The Collie Trust Award and Fabrica Award, Italy, each valued at over $5000.00 in airfares and accommodation, plus the invaluable experience of working with a leading design studios.

The Collie Trust Award provides the winner with airfares, accommodation and two weeks work experience in one of the following leading studios: Pentagram, UK; Smart Design, USA; Guerrilla Games, The Netherlands; Ahn Sang Soo Korea; Browns, UK; Mister Walker, South Africa; IDEO, USA; Prologue, USA; SeymourPowell, UK; Les Editions Volumiques, France; and Gnomon School, USA.

Fabrica Award, Benneton Groups design studio, Italy provides the winner with airfares, accommodation and a 2 week trial at Fabrica from which they can be awarded a 12 month scholarship. To be eligible, must be under 25 years.

Fabrica is led by an international team that supports the creative development of young artists / researchers from all over the world. There the winner will participate in a range of communication activities, in cinema or graphics, design or music, or within new media or photography, as part of Colors Magazine. In its role as a laboratory of applied creativity (its name comes from the Latin word meaning ‘workshop'), Fabrica deals with new forms of communication, following two key principals: hands-on approach to training (the young grant holders are invited to ‘learn by practice'), and a multi-disciplinary approach.

The experience for many of past winners has been life and career changing. 2009 winner, Hamish Smyth completed two weeks work experience with Pentagram NY, and has now been awarded a 12 month internship. 2007 winner, Ben McNamara, believes that ‘winning the NewStar competition really kickstarted everything simply by giving me the confidence to back myself ... without it I don't know where I would be now'.

Students and new graduates are invited to submit their best work in 2D, 3D and multimedia. A panel of leading Melbourne designers will shortlist the entries and the winners will be selected by the international guest presenters from agIdeas 2011 International Design Week.

Shortlisted finalists will be showcased in the agIdeas 2011 Book and in an exhibition at the Melbourne Museum in 2011.

agIdeas 2011 NewStar is part of the annual agIdeas International Design Week.

The agIdeas 2011 NewStar call for entries launch party on Thursday 16 September at 361 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne.

Entry form can be downloaded from www.agideas.net/newstar or contact the Design Foundation for further details on 9416 2966.

Entries close Monday 15 November 2010.

For further media information pls contact: Magda Petkoff, Purple Media, 0409 436 473