Ambitious young designers, rejoice! Finally, an award that is designed to harbor and encourage creative and smart design is opening its doors for submissions. With an impressive roster of backers and partners, the Obelisque Design Award is an unmissable opportunity for aspiring designers and artists. The award is powered by Le Marché, partnering with Art D’Egypte and Esorus, and organized by AAPIC. There’s hardly any more credible and formidable backing you can get as an artist than from these household names.
The guidelines for entry are simple. If you’re under 45 and want to participate, you need to present a product with an adequate description of the design process, as well as the philosophy behind the final result and what led you to it. This is because the jury of renowned Egyptians and international artists will review and shortlist your design, based on examination of product pictures and/or render drawings and narratives. Categories in which young innovators can participate in include: product design, furniture, lighting, accessories, textile, and material. If you are shortlisted, designers will start producing a prototype or an installation in close coordination with the organizers, which will be showcased in an exclusive black-tie exhibition attended by the biggest heads in the industry. The deadline for submissions is October 15th, and the awards ceremony is set to be held on December 3rd.
To participate, you’ll need to choose one or more of four criteria or other philosophical approaches to be upheld by your project: Sustainability, Functionality, Innovation, and Feasibility.
For sustainability, you’ll need to take up a green approach in your design, one which includes eco-awareness, or encourages sustainable living, waste reduction, energy saving, among other things. Functionality mainly focuses on appreciating design quality and efficiency in complex and industrial fields. The innovation criteria is self-explanatory in its name, as the design which belongs in this category needs to be new, unconventional, and completely out of the box. Feasibility mainly centers around resourcefulness, scalability, and practical manufacturing possibilities.
The awards are as impressive as ever, given the scale of the award show. All applicants will have free access to talks and Le Marché, as well as a tour at “Forever is Now,” the exhibition by Art D’Egypte which will be held this November. More tantalizing benefits will be available for shortlisted applicants as they receive certificates, mentions in press releases and with partners, will have their art displayed in showcases, and an invitation to the exclusive black-tie closing ceremony. The winners however get a different pot of gold. They will be given the once-in-a-lifetime chance to produce products with industry leaders, scholarships for studying, a financial reward, and an interview with a highly esteemed media entity, Kahera Wel Nas.
Fees for participation, detailed entry requirements, and application forms can be found on Esorus’s website. But if you’re an enthusiastic young visionary and designer, this is the chance for you, so cease it while you can!