Bringing home the tartan! A competition for fashion and design students in Scotland by the National Archives of Scotland’s Scottish Register of Tartans in association with The Scotsman.
Competition brief
The task The objective of the competition is to design one tartan textile-based outfit, accessory or artefact on the theme of Homecoming 2009 (see http://www.homecomingscotland.com), and inspired by tartan(s) recorded on the Scottish Register of Tartans (available online from early February 2009 at http://www.tartanregister.gov.uk). The competition is open to all students of fashion and design in Scotland.
Tartan is one of the national symbols of Scotland today, known throughout the world and officially recognised by the Parliament in Edinburgh. It plays an important role in the culture and identity of Scots returning from overseas in the year of Scottish Homecoming 2009. The Scottish Register of Tartans has been set up to promote and preserve information about registered tartans, to provide a focal point for tartan and genealogical research, and an interest in tartan design and production. Working with the tartan industry in Scotland, the Register provides a springboard to promote the expertise, quality and value of the Scottish tartan industry.
Judging criteria 1. An imaginative interpretation of the theme of Homecoming 2. Evidence of research on the Scottish Register of Tartans and the use of tartans contained therein 3. Flair and originality in the design 4. A design which will promote Scotland in a positive, creative and upmarket way
Format of competition Stage 1: Initial entries must be submitted by 9 April 2009. A single completed design/presentation sheet should be submitted (up to A2 maximum), which demonstrates technical and fabric details, tartans used for inspiration and the final outcome. A context for the design should be included using no more than 150 words, along with any other appropriate information eg. story board.
This should be submitted electronically (as Word doc, pdf, or jpeg files) or in hardcopy, with a photo of the designer (photos will only be used for verification purposes) and a completed application form, to [email protected] or the address given below.
After 9 April a selection team will shortlist 10 designs for the second stage of the competition. The successful 10 finalists will be notified in writing as soon as possible thereafter.
Stage 2:
The 10 finalists will be asked to proto-type or make-up their designs by 31 May 2009. Expenses of up to £200 per candidate will be met by the National Archives of Scotland on presentation of appropriate receipts. Lochcarron of Scotland has kindly agreed to supply students with ready woven tartan fabric at wholesale price.
The made-up designs will be exhibited in Harvey Nichols, Edinburgh and in a prominent location in Glasgow. Digital images of the designs will also be showcased on the Scottish Register of Tartans website. Members of the public will be encouraged to provide feedback on their favourite design, both online and in person.
All ten final designs will be showcased at a catwalk event in October 2009 where the competition winner will be announced and the prizes presented. The finalists’ designs will be permanently preserved in the National Archives of Scotland.
The Prize The winner will be awarded a cash prize of £750 and a 2 week work placement. A second prize will be awarded of a cash prize of £250 and a 2 week placement.
Rules Promoter 1. The competition is promoted by the Keeper of the Scottish Register of Tartans, National Archives of Scotland (NAS).
Purpose 2. The purpose of the competition is to design an outfit, accessory or artefact, inspired by and incorporating tartan textile(s) on the theme of Homecoming 2009.
Closing date 3. The closing date for the submission of entries is 17:00 on Thursday 9 April 2009.
Address for entries 4. Electronic entries should be sent from your academic institution email address [ac.uk address] to [email protected]. Hard copy entries should be addressed to: Administrator Scottish Register of Tartans HM General Register House 2 Princes Street Edinburgh EH1 3YY
Eligibility and related entry conditions 5. The competition is open to all students of fashion and design registered on full-time undergraduate and postgraduate courses in textiles and fashion design in Scotland. Students must be aged not less than 18 years on 1 October 2008.
6. Only one entry may be submitted by each student.
7. Each submission must be accompanied by a completed application form. Application forms are available from the students’ university or college or can be downloaded from the Scottish Register of Tartans website
(www.tartanregister.gov.uk), or a hard copy can be requested from the Administrator of the Register, see postal address above.
8. Entries may be submitted electronically or in hard copy.
9. Electronic submissions should use Word doc, pdf and jpeg files. They should be submitted from your University email address [ac.uk address] to [email protected].
10. Hard copy submissions should be submitted by post to the address given above.
11. If submitting a hard copy by post, students must provide proof of their student status including their student matriculation number.
12. Proof of posting cannot be accepted as proof of receipt. No responsibility can be accepted by the Keeper for entries that are lost, delayed or damaged in the post.
13. No responsibility can be accepted by NAS for fraudulent or ineligible submissions.
14. It is a condition of entry that the Keeper may reproduce and exhibit submissions electronically on the Scottish Register of Tartans website (www.tartanregister.gov.uk) or on the NAS website (www.nas.gov.uk), reproduce them in reports, in press releases and publications, and use designs and made-up outfits and artefacts for exhibition purposes, without requiring further permission from the designer. Acknowledgement will always be given to the designer and their university or college.
15. The Keeper reserves the right to impose further conditions at the time any submission is being made.
16. By entering this competition, entrants will be deemed to have accepted these rules and to have agreed to be bound by them.
Specification of submissions 17. All entries must be original and the individual entrant’s own work.
18. The design must include tartan textile(s), but the outfit or artefact may be multimedia.
19. Each submission should be in the form of a completed design/presentation sheet which demonstrates technical and fabric details, tartans used for inspiration and the final outcome. A context for the design should be included using no more than 150 words, along with any other appropriate information eg. story board.
20. No personal details or other means of identification should be included on the design/presentation sheet or supporting material, to maintain the anonymity of entries during the judging process.
21. Each submission must be accompanied by a completed application form and a photograph of the designer (which will be used for verification purposes only).
22. Each submission must be given a unique title to reflect its nature and theme.
Decision 23. After 9 April 2009 10 designs will be short listed by a selection panel invited by the NAS.
24. The 10 finalists will be asked to make-up/proto-type their designs. A maximum of £200 will be available to each finalist (on submission of appropriate receipts) to help with expenses incurred in making-up/proto- typing.
25. The finalists’ submissions will be displayed electronically on the website and physically in prominent locations in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Members of the public will be invited to nominate their preferred design, but the final selection of the winner and the runner-up will rest with the judges.
26. One winner and one runner-up will be selected from the 10 final designs by a panel of judges invited by the NAS.
27. All 10 finalists will be invited to attend a catwalk event to hear the announcement of the winner and runner-up.
28. The judges’ decision will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.
Prizes 29. The prizes are as stated and are non-transferable.
30. An industry work placement opportunity will be offered to both the winner and the runner-up.
31. The names of the winner and the runner-up will be publicised on the Scottish Register of Tartans and NAS websites.
32. NAS reserves the right to exhibit the finalists’ made-up designs until the end of 2009. Thereafter, the possibility of the long term preservation of the made- up designs in the NAS or other appropriate institution will be discussed with the designer concerned.
Copyright 33. The intellectual property rights in all designs submitted in the competition remain with the student. However, by entering the competition you agree to grant the Crown the non-exclusive right to exhibit your design on the NAS and Scottish Register of Tartans websites, to use your design for exhibition purposes, and to reproduce it in reports, press releases and in any other publicity material. The entrant also grants the Crown the right to permanently preserve electronic and hardcopy submissions in the National Archives of Scotland and to make any copies necessary to this end.
34. By submitting an entry the entrant confirms that the entry is all his/her own work and was not created in the course of his/her employment.
Publicity 35. NAS has the right to take or arrange to have taken photographs of the finalists for promotion of, and publicity and marketing for, the NAS and the Scottish Register of Tartans. These may be used in publications or on the NAS or Scottish Register of Tartans websites.
Disqualification 36. NAS has the right to disqualify any entrant who breaches any of the above rules. If the winning entrant is subsequently disqualified, NAS will appoint a panel of judges to select a new winning entry from amongst the 10 short listed finalists.
Enquiries/Further information 37. For general enquiries or clarification of any of the above, please contact the Administrator, Scottish Register of Tartans at the address given or email: [email protected].
Timetable
20 February 2009 Official competition launch and full brief, guidance notes and application forms issued
Feb/Mar 2009 Electronic or hard copy submissions to be made
9 April 2009 Final date for submissions
24 April 2009 Short list for stage 2 announced
Apr/May 2009 Finalists have their designs made-up/proto-typed
June-August 2009 Digital images of made-up designs will be showcased on the Scottish Register of Tartans website w/c 8 June 2009 Exhibition of finalists work in Harvey Nichols, Edinburgh
June 2009 Exhibition of finalists work in a prominent location in Glasgow
October 2009 Finalists invited to a catwalk event where the panel of judges will announce the winning design