Enter a design challenge to help keep a language alive:

Designers in Africa: enter the D54 design challenge and help keep a language alive

In a novel initiative, newly-launched design enterprise D54 invites designers living and working in Africa to submit their best original poster and T-shirt designs, and stand a chance to have their work win a place in the inaugural D54 2019 #KeepLanguagesAlive Collection, on show for one day only, in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Tuesday 22 October 2019.

Entries close on Monday 14 October, 2019.

The top 5 entries, as judged by an all-star panel, are to be produced, distributed, marketed, and then sold on D54’s online platforms, and through partner retail outlets, under the D54 label, starting end of November 2019.

Commercial arrangements are on a profit-sharing basis.

Winners get a share of 2000 USD in instant cash: a grand prize of 1000 USD, second prize of 650 USD, and a third prize of 350 USD.

Under the theme #KeepLanguagesAlive—inspired by the United Nations’ International Year of Indigenous Languages for 2019—D54 invites designers to make powerful, self-affirming statements in African languages, using typography, illustration, text or symbolism.

This model is born of the observation that when designers in Africa create original products to sell, they often need to find product development, production, distribution and marketing partners who can help them reach global markets, so that they can earn a decent living from their creations.

D54, short for Design Fifty-four, and derived from the idea that there are 54 countries on the continent, was founded by designers who know only too well what it feels like when their creations remain prototypes, and never get tested in the marketplace.

“D54 is structured to bring together an annual pan-African design contest with the value chain that takes a product from designed to sold,” says Ithateng Mokgoro, co-founder of D54.

Explaining D54’s benchmark-setting configuration, Mokgoro further added that “the exchange is a profit sharing model between designers and D54, on the sale of posters and T-shirts, with the range expanding into other products from 2020 onwards.”

D54 is an initiative of Gamatong Foundation NPC and supported by Kalahari Resorts and Conventions, the American chain of African-themed water parks.

For further details on how to participate in the D54 2019 challenge, visit designfiftyfour.africa

CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za.

– MyPR

Submit and get free exposure here: Showcase Your Business | Advertise Your Special Offers.

Author: Business News