coadg bursary :: win a stand at Home 2014

I am absolutely over the moon to announce that after the success of last year, I have teamed up with Home London again to launch the confessions of a design geek bursary 2014. And this time, it’s even bigger and even better!

One new designer will be offered a bursary worth £10,000, including a stand at Home London, their product being stocked at the Southbank Centre Shop, and all the mentoring and coaching they’ll need to make the most of this once in a lifetime opportunity. The shortlisted designers will have their products displayed on the confessions of a design geek stand at Home London.

Home London expects 16,000 buyers to visit in its third year – and 6.25 million people will pass the Southbank Centre Shop window where the winner’s product will be displayed. This is a fantastic opportunity to get your products in front of the right people and start 2014 with a bang.

2013’s winner Jessica Hogarth said: “Winning the confessions of a design geek bursary was great for my business on so many levels. It was a fantastic start to 2013. I gained new stockists, many of whom have placed numerous orders this year. I also received invaluable press exposure, and made some great new friends. As a result of being at the show, I am now working on a collaboration with Graham and Brown, which is a dream come true!”

The bursary includes:

• A stand at Home London 12 – 14th January 2014
• Coverage via Home London and confessions of a design geek website and social media channels
• Bespoke wall coverings for the stand from wallunica
• The winner’s product stocked exclusively in the Southbank Centre Shop for three months and included in the window display
• A photo shoot with talented product photographer Yeshen Venema
• A film shoot with fabulous film makers R&A Collaborations – the team behind my Tent and designjunction films
• An hour’s mentoring with Head of Buying at The Southbank Centre Shop, Adam Thow
• An hour’s PR mentoring with David Gorrod, Seen PR
• An hour’s product mentoring with Keith Stephenson and Mark Hampshire, Mini Moderns
• An hour’s stand design mentoring with winner of Best Stand at Home 2013, Jo Robinson, HAM
• An hour’s social media mentoring with Justyna Sowa, Decorum
• An hour’s SEO coaching with Daniel Nelson, October Communications
• An hour’s business coaching with Director of The Design Trust, Patricia van den Akker and one year’s Design Trust Business Club membership
• 2013’s winner Jessica Hogarth as a ‘buddy’ throughout the process

We are looking for passionate designers with original products. To be eligible, you must…

• be within your first three years of business
• not have had a stand of your own at a mainstream trade show before
• be available 11 – 15th January 2014

and your products must be…

• design-led interiors products
• designed and made in the United Kingdom
• commercially viable and ready to wholesale

If you and your products fit these criteria, what are you waiting for? Email coadgbursary@gmail.com with the following things:

• a description of yourself, your business and your products, explaining why you should be shortlisted
• 10 high res images of your products including both lifestyle and cut-out images
• details of your pricing – wholesale and retail
• your proposed design for the stand at Home London
• your web address, social media handles and contact details

…by midnight on Friday 8th November 2013.

A shortlist will be selected by a panel of judges and announced on Thursday 14th November. Then it’s up to confessions of a design geek readers to vote for a winner – to be announced on Thursday 28th November, giving the winner plenty of time to take advantage of everything the bursary offers before appearing at their first trade show, Home London, in January 2014.

I’ll be announcing more details of the bursary and talking to 2013’s shortlisted designers over the coming weeks, so watch this space for more info – and spread the word on twitter using #coadgbursary.

With thanks to Clarion, the Southbank Centre, wallunica, Yeshen Venema, R&A Collaborations, Seen PR, Mini Moderns, HAM, Decorum, October Communications, The Design Trust and Jessica Hogarth.

*The winning designer will need to provide products, something to display them on, styling and public liability insurance for Home London. They will have to pay for optional extras such as lighting, plug sockets and painted panels. Wall designs to be supplied to wallunica by 13.12.13 for printing in time for Home London due to Christmas closing. Winner will be asked to pay for R&A Collaboration’s travel expenses and possibly accommodation depending on the location of the shoot. Winner’s products to be stocked at the Southbank Centre for three months on an exclusive basis. Mentoring will take place in London or via Skype.