International Young Design Entrepreneur 2008

We want a Young Design Entrepreneur! Are you the one?

Besides owning the bragging rights of being Malaysia’s hotshot design entrepreneur, as the national winner you will also be in the running to win the International Young Design Entrepreneur 2008 award and bring home a financial prize of £7500 to be spent on a project in collaboration with the British Council.

Want to know if you qualify? Read on.

First - the prize!

Along with finalists from 9 other countries, the Malaysian Young Design Entrepreneur will undertake a 12-day tour of the UK’s design sector. The tour will comprise visits, meetings, seminars, events and shows, including 100% Design and London Design Festival and a master class with an internationally renowned UK design entrepreneur (a few years ago it was with Britain’s original Young Design Entrepreneur, Sir Terrence Conran).

Eligibility

You must:

* Be Malaysian aged between 25 and 35 (at the time of the UK tour in September 2008)

* Already work in the design sector (as defined below)

* Be entrepreneurial and shown your ability and innovative approach to the promotion of design in your country, particularly in a commercial context

* Through your character, drive and abilities demonstrate your potential to be a future leader of the design sector in their country

* Have a reasonable command of the English language

Design sector

To qualify, candidates must already be active professionally in the local design sector, as defined in the following fields:

* Architecture, interiors and environment

* Graphic design: communication, publishing, branding and multimedia

* Product design manufacture: furniture, industrial products and craft

* Interactive and digital media

* Design promotion: exhibitions, events, festivals and retail

Making the cut

Successful candidates will have a passion for their creative sector; display originality and confidence in their work, and an entrepreneurial drive to succeed in their field; they will be risk-takers and forward-thinking leaders, striving to make a difference in their field and for the local design industry. Candidates will be judged both on the evidence of their existing entrepreneurial skills and their potential to be an agent of change.

The bottom line is we are rewarding entrepreneurial ability - this is what makes IYDE unique. We recognise that a finalist may be active as a designer, however his/her work as an artist should be secondary to their focus as an entrepreneur in the promotion of the design industry in their country. Artistic talent will not be factored into the judging procedure – finalists will be judged solely on the merit of their entrepreneurial abilities in the industry.

How to apply

Download the application form Icon of Microsoft Word, image © Microsoft Corporation (72 KB) and return the completed form to us by Monday 30 June 2008. Yes, it’s that easy!

Short listed candidates will then be invited to attend an interview held early July 2008. They will be interviewed by a panel of judges comprising leading figures in the local design industry whose task is to identify the best Young Design Entrepreneur from Malaysia.

Got it? Then get cracking! If you have further questions, send us an email or call 03 2723 7931/7988. Submit your application to:

IYDE 2008
c/o Arts Team
British Council
Ground Floor, West Block
Wisma Selangor Dredging
142C, Jalan Ampang
50450, Kuala Lumpur

You can also email your application to us at arts@britishcouncil.org.my with IYDE 2008 in the subject heading. Good luck!