:: Qantas Spirit of Youth Awards 2009By: Carmine PascuzziAustralia’s leading grants program for new creative talent, the Qantas Spirit of Youth Awards (SOYA) has opened registrations to young achievers interested in boosting their career with a rare mentorship opportunity. In its sixth year, SOYA will give young Australian innovators the chance to win a 12-month mentorship with inspirational industry leaders such as fashion gurus Nicky and Simone Zimmermann, film industry icon Rachel Ward and visual arts curator Elizabeth Ann Macgregor. In addition, SOYA winners will receive financial support in the form of $5000 in cash and $5000 in flights from Qantas across the seven SOYA categories. SOYA rewards top emerging talent aged 30 and under across seven creative fields: fashion, film, visual arts, visual communications, music, industrial and object design and photography. Since its establishment in 2004, SOYA has helped young artists, photographers, fashion designers, filmmakers and musicians expand their horizons, build up their business bases and learn the ropes from some of the greatest creative minds in the world. Successful past SOYA winners include Adelaide band Wolf & Cub, Perth-based performance artist Danielle Freakley (The Quote Generator), and fashion labels Akina, Friedrich Gray and ANT!PODiUM. Others have used their mentorships to work with industrial designer Marc Newson, had their scripts edited by film director Rowan Woods, worked on the set of a Gillian Armstrong film, and recorded tracks with Paul Mac. Financial support from SOYA has been used to record albums, set up exhibitions around Australia and to undertake further study, and Qantas flights have helped the best and brightest share their visions with the world. Australia’s bright sparks of creativity can enter SOYA 2009 until the closing date of July 31, with all submissions to be made through the website The winners will be announced at a spectacular awards night held on November 11 at the Foundation Hall of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney. HOW TO ENTER Entrants are also advised to provide supporting material to demonstrate how they are developing their practice and working towards defining their own unique style and approach to their own creative fields or art forms, including evidence of how they are exhibiting, presenting or distributing their work in their fields. Entrants are advised to include details of any websites, magazines, or other media that have covered their work, distribution outlets or events which have presented their work. Entrants are also advised to include details of their professional web presence, study or work experience. SOYA AWARDS NIGHT 2009 Winners will be presented with their prizes by their high-profile mentors in the presence of Australia’s arts media, entertainment personalities and creative leaders. The SOYA 2009 Awards night is a strictly invitation-only event. ******************************************************************************* **Winners announced** Seven of Australia’s brightest new creative stars walked away with $10,000 in cash and flights, and a mentoring program with the internationally acclaimed creative icons that will guide their future careers, as the Qantas Spirit of Youth Awards (SOYA) were announced in Sydney recently. Held in the Foundation Hall of the Museum of Contemporary Art, the awards drew an impressive crowd of Australia’s established cultural leaders and the new generation of creative minds. Fashion designers, media-makers, entertainers and artists gathered to celebrate the 21 finalists whose creative work stood out from the tens of thousands of submissions entered in SOYA this year. Other highlights of the evening included an interactive exhibition showcasing the works of the 21 emerging talents competing for the Awards. Finalists from the fashion design category also showcased their much-admired designs with a live model installation featuring some of Australia’s hottest new looks. High-profile SOYA mentors including film director and esteemed actress Rachel Ward, renowned fashion designers Simone and Nicky Zimmermann, and internationally acclaimed music label boss Stephen Pavlovic from Modular Recordings were also in attendance to present awards to the winners in their categories. Each of the winners from across seven creative categories was presented with $5000 in cash and $5000 in flights from Qantas. At the conclusion of the awards, mentors congratulated the winners and began the ongoing relationships that will see these young artists provided with invaluable industry experience. From professional guidance and introductions to important creative contacts, each of the mentors will provide career support for the next year and well into the future. “SOYA has given each of these artists a rare opportunity to gain exposure with their industries’ leaders who, as SOYA mentors, will coach and counsel the winners in their category.” SOYA09 WINNERS INDUSTRIAL & OBJECT DESIGN FASHION FILM MUSIC PHOTOGRAPHY VISUAL ARTS VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS |
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