The Best of Manchester is back. The annual competition that celebrates innovation in music, fashion and art is gearing up for its second year. Judged by a panel of industry experts, Best of Manchester spotlights the work of Manchester’s creative professionals. There is no age limit, no hype and no rules: just the best creative thinking by the best creatives working in Manchester today.
Anyone working within music, art (including graphic design) and fashion – and who lives or works in Manchester – can enter. The prize? Apart from the chance to get their work seen by industry leaders, winners receive long-term professional development, a one-off cash prize and an exhibition of their work at Urbis.
Last year’s Best of Manchester celebrated the cutting-edge creativity for which Manchester has long been known, from a musical based on the life of artist Jackson Pollock to Art Deco-inspired commercial design. The three categories are deliberately broad, designed to encourage entries that blur boundaries, mix disciplines and are genuinely innovative.
‘The competition is very simple,’ said Peter Saville, who’s leading the awards. ‘It’s a showcase of ideas. Manchester is full of people coming up with great concepts but those people aren’t getting the opportunities they deserve. The Best of Manchester is a chance to uncover the ideas of a city known for its creative thinking.’
‘There are plenty of competitions out there for young people,’ confirmed Urbis Chief Executive, Vaughan Allen. ‘But there’s very little for those who’ve spent years grafting at the coalface of the creative industries. It’s easy to champion young people, and easier still to celebrate it when they make it big. But what about those left in the middle? The Best of Manchester is a chance for Manchester to support its creative professionals when they need it most – when they’re on the verge of making it to the next level of their career.’
The competition opens on 12 May. Entry to the competition is via the Urbis website. Details of how to enter will be announced here in a few weeks’ time.
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