Plymouth University has picked up two prestigious accolades at an annual showcase of creative graduate talent.
The D&AD New Blood Festival brings together students and industry professionals for an exhibition and series of fringe events at The Old Truman Brewery in the heart of East London.
It is attended by universities right across the UK, but this year students from Plymouth were among three to be selected for the prestigious Best Stand award, while recent graduate Hannah Packard won a coveted Best in Show award for her work.
Plymouth’s presence at D&AD this year included two stands created by students and lecturers from the BA (Hons) Illustration and BA (Hons) Graphic Communication with Typography courses.
The winning stand design – created by the Illustration students – was based upon a record shop, with students picking a number one song to illustrate, with these being printed as 12" size and 7" versions. The format of record racks was divided into categories, enabling clients to quickly find relevant student work.
Graphic Communication student Hannah earned her award for a project which includes a series of carrier bags with designs suggesting how to extend their life rather than disposing of them
James Brocklehurst, Programme Leader for BA (Hons) Graphic Communication with Typography, said:
“D&AD New Blood is attended by hundreds of industry representatives, giving students the chance to network, present their portfolios and obtain internship and job offers. The quality of work on show means that these awards are an amazing achievement for the students as a whole, and for Hannah individually, and they are both really important in terms of raising Plymouth University’s profile within the sector.”
Ashley Potter, Programme Leader for BA (Hons) Illustration, added:
“This was our most ambitious showing at D&AD and our students pulled out all the stops to create a project that showcases the full extent of their talent and innovation. We have had some amazing on the spot feedback, and with only three stands out of 100 that were set up winning this accolade, it shows the quality of what we were able to put together.”
