APPLICATIONS CLOSED. STAY TUNED FOR RESULTS OF THE CREATIVE CHALLENGE!
Crane & Co., the premier maker of fine stationery since 1801, will be participating in the Berkshire Creative Challenge in hopes of identifying local talent to be added to freelance creative resource team.
The challenge is open to artists, illustrators, designers and copywriters who can create sophisticated art and copy for our stationery collections. Known as a leader in the stationery category, Crane is an iconic brand that delivers uncompromising quality and classic designs. The brand also creates updated, fresh, modern designs targeted at consumers who are young, artistic, design-savvy and stylish.
Interested creatives should have an understanding of the stationery category and how art translates to stationery products. Art for stationery would include, but not be limited to, motif illustrations, illustrative design, pattern creations, type driven design (type layout and type as art), and copywriting as art/voice/layout. Working knowledge of printing and production processes will also be helpful. Printing and production processes used by Crane & Co. include engraving, letterpress, thermography, lithography, foiling and die cutting.
Artists, illustrators, graphic designers, and copywriters interested in being considered for the Crane & Co. Creative Challenge are invited to submit an application to include examples of their work using the guidelines provided. These preliminary examples should help with our assessment of each artist’s style as it applies to stationery. Concepts for stationery collections or brand appropriate product lines are also welcome. From these submissions finalists will be chosen to participate in the Crane & Co. Creative Challenge.
Click here to learn more about Crane & Co.!
APPLICATION SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
1.Fill out electronic application: Click here
2. Email a current one page resume (additional pages will not be reviewed) and images to info@berkshirecreative.org
IMAGE GUIDELINES
1. All images need to be submitted in digital format (PDF only), page size should be 8 1/2” x 11”. Please keep PDF under 10MB. Original art and non-PDF digital files will not be considered.
2. Image submissions can be general or specific. Submission of overall artwork style, direction, tone would be a general submission. More specific submissions would include conceptual stationery designs or collections.
Stationery product categories that entries can be targeted to include, but would not be limited to:
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- Stationery Notes and Flat Cards
- Thank You Notes
- Holiday Cards (design to include card design and inside greeting)
- Greeting Cards (design to include card design and inside greeting)
- Wedding Invitations (design to include invitation and response card)
- Social/Party Invitations (Showers, Galas, Birthday, Anniversary, etc.)
- Birth Announcements
Entries in addition to these specific product categories are also encouraged, but need to be brand appropriate.
3. Each design needs to be labeled with the following information:
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- Designer’s name and contact information
- Product Category
- Format (folder, flat card, or other)
- Suggested production process (optional)
- Brief artist’s statement – no more than 2 sentences (optional)
Deadline for submittals: April 12, 2010
Designers whose work is of interest will be contacted on April 23, 2010 to become one of the selected participants for the Creative Challenge, and will be invited to Crane for a presentation about the company, the creative assignments, and a tour of the facilities on May 6, 2010.
All artwork submitted remains the property of the artist, and will not be used without signed agreement between artist and Crane & Co., Inc.
Feel free to blog/tweet/share this opportunity with your friends and colleagues!
CREATIVE CHALLENGE BACKGROUND INFORMATION
WHAT IS A CREATIVE CHALLENGE?
The Creative Challenge connects Berkshire manufacturers and businesses to local designers, engineers, and creative workers with the aim of stimulating innovative research and development for existing and/or new product lines
HISTORY
The Creative Challenge was born from “Design It Here, Make It Here”; an initiative outlined in the 2007 Berkshire Creative Economy Report, which suggested developing a campaign to explore the interest in and capacity for manufacturers in the county to take on the production of “creative products.” The report identified that, “Likely candidates would be those companies that manufacture plastics, metal, fabrics, and wood products, as well as those involved in printing.”
HOW IT WORKS
Berkshire Creative partners with a local business to define the nature, format and criteria of a Berkshire Creative Challenge. This can be anything from the re-visioning of existing products, generating new ideas and concepts for existing production methods, to introducing a brand new product line!
INTERESTED IN HOSTING A CHALLENGE AT YOUR BUSINESS?
This program is designed to connect Berkshire manufacturers and businesses to the rich creative talent pool of the Berkshires, so more Berkshire products may be designed here and made here!
Companies interested in hosting a Creative Challenge should contact Helena Fruscio, Director of Berkshire Creative by phone at 413.822.8324 or email at helena.fruscio@berkshirecreative.org.
Companies interested in hosting a Creative Challenge should contact Helena Fruscio, Director of Berkshire Creative by phone at 413.822.8324 or email at helena.fruscio@berkshirecreative.org.
