NKA Foundation: Mud House Design Competition

For most of us mud houses are something of the past. We are used to modern houses, tall apartment blocks and skyscrapers. Our homes are made of the best materials. We know there are small zinc sheet homes for the poor. Just as there are zinc homes, there are also plenty of places in Africa where mud houses are still used. Nka Foundation makes us aware of this situation and is reaching out a helping hand in a creative and innovative manner. It is currently accepting ideas and proposals from designers, architects and builders to improve these mud houses and entries can come for anywhere around the world.

Design Problem: A Typical Mud House at Abetenim Village

• The competition is open for entries until the 31st of August. The selection of the winning designs will be chosen between 15 September and 30 September by a panel of judges. 
• An individual or a design team can submit an entry to the Mud House Design competition.
• There will be three winning projects. The prizes are: 1st prize- $1,500 or Construction of design in Ghana plus a short trip to Ghana for the opening ceremony once construction is completed; 2nd prize- Construction or $1,000 and 3rd prize- Construction or $500. Honorable mentions may be awarded.
• Judging criteria involve the functionality, aesthetics and technical factor to the degree the design response resolves the design problem.

ENTER NOW

Visit www.nkafoundation.org/2014mudhousedesign.html to read more about the requirements, background, conditions and more. If you have the talent, you now have the chance to show it where it will matter: designing for life, improving people's lives.

Time for the BASA Awards Draws Near

Time is running out for those businesses and artists interested in the upcoming BASA Awards (partnered by Hollard). The deadline falls on Friday, 16 May of this year. Those who never submitted their work to the BASA Awards should be aware that there is a lot of documentation that needs to be completed (with high quality photographs). Those who are trying once again, good luck!

What exactly is BASA? BASA stands for Business and Arts South Africa. Simply put, they connect the art world with that of the business world. By doing this they ensure that arts in South Africa can grow rather than be forgotten in the dark abyss. Sounds a bit dramatic, but where would our colourful country be without art? BASA goes to many lengths to keep businesses and arts united. They also offer many other opportunities for both sides, of which  the BASA Awards is one.

This, for those who are interested, is the 17th annual BASA Awards and it will not be a let down. As always there are specific guidelines and rules that must be followed. These are placed there to make it fair, fun and better for everyone involved. Artists or projects in any of the following creative disciplines can  be nominated:

• Visual Arts
• Dance
• Theatre
• Physical Performance
• Music
• Architecture
• Fashion
• Design 

The nominations fall into different categories, namely:

• Innovation Award
• First Time Sponsor Award
• Increasing Access to the Arts
• International Sponsorship Award
• Long Term Partnership Award, supported by Stephan Welz & Co.
• Media Sponsorship Award
• Strategic Project Award
• Small Business Award
Sponsorship In Kind Award
• Development Award
• Arts and the Environment Award, supported by Nedbank
• Mentorship Award

Don’t worry, if you don’t know which category is best, BASA will correct your chosen category if they feel it is needed.

While all these categories can be considered helpful and good in essence of helping both artists and businesses alike, The Arts and the Environment Award (supported by Nedbank) is helping more than just people. It helps the environment. It will hopefully make more people aware of the beauty in keeping the world clean and the importance of living sustainably for a better, healthier future.

Well done BASA for creating a category that will in the long run have an effect on the environment by encouraging artists and businesses to think creatively about it! In time more businesses and other people will deepen their appreciation for art, which is a goal we should all want to reach in order to keep South Africa as unique and colourful as it is, with the many crafted arts being sold next to roads and at flea markets.

There are plenty of opportunities for anyone in the art industry and business sponsoring art alike, even after the BASA Awards finish for the year. There is always next year, after all. For more information or to enter BASA Awards go to BASA’s website: www.basa.co.za.

This is a guest post by fantasy writer Michelle Albinson

Better Living Challenge

Have an idea that relates to access to electricity, water and sanitation, water/flood-proofing, fireproofing, ventilation, heating, cooling, space constraints, safety or privacy? The Better Living Challenge is a call to designers and innovators; manufacturers and retailers; students and professionals; self-taught designers and tradesmen; architects and engineers; to develop home improvement solutions that support a better quality of life for all.

The continually growing need for homes outstrips the capacity and resources of the government to deliver. There is a need to find home improvement solutions that are affordable and allow people to incrementally improve their dwellings at their own pace. Such solutions will contribute towards improved living conditions and quality of life. The Better Living Challenge has three entry categories.

STRUCTURAL HOME

• Innovative products and materials used in the construction of homes.

• Innovative approaches and components for self-built homes and structures.

• Systems and products that allow for incremental expansion of existing structures.

COMFORTABLE HOME

• Products, services and systems which create a more liveable and enjoyable internal environment, including improved temperature control and internal air quality, as well as light, energy and water efficiency.

• Products and systems that address fire risk.

• Modular and space saving furniture and storage ideas.

• Solutions to create flexible public/private space for homes where a single space may have multiple uses throughout the day.

CONNECTED HOME

• Products, services or systems that digitally and physically connect a home to its surroundings and beyond.

• Solutions that connect a home to the physical environment, including food production and waste water systems.

• Off-grid solutions for individual households.

VERY IMPORTANT:

• You need to show you have considered the environmental impact of your products, and explored environmentally-friendly materials and efficient production techniques.
• Solutions need to be financially accessible to the low-income market. You need to demonstrate how scale, production and material costs impact on price, and show you have thought about how to get your product, system or service to market in an affordable manner.
• A sustainable business model will touch on how your solution can be replicated at a local level. What can be done to enhance what is already produced locally? Has thought been given to working with existing low-income housing providers?

ENTER your product or idea at betterlivingchallenge.co.za

Sustainable Seas Trust Photography Competition!

The Sustainable Seas Trust ‘Splendours of the South African Sea’ Photo Competition has been set up to encourage the public to get out and about on our country’s coastlines in order to capture what they believe makes our coastlines some of the best in the world and more importantly what we should be striving to preserve. For more info visit www.sst.org.za. Also find them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seapledge

Awards for green initiatives & success stories

Mail & Guardian Greening the Future Celebrates a Decade!

In 2013 the Mail & Guardian’s annual flagship, Greening the Future, celebrates a decade of honouring environmental best practice in South Africa. For the past 10 years Greening the Future has publicised innovative efforts to create a cleaner planet without compromising progress. It showcases innovation in renewable energy, action to combat climate change and strategic management of natural resources.

This year new awards for Future Leaders, Rhino Rescue, Community Conservation and Biodiversity Stewardship have been added to the categories of the prestigious flagship. Awards are also given in the following categories: Business, Non-Profit Organisations, Water Management, Energy Efficiency and Carbon Management, Innovation in Renewables, and Schools and Institutions.

The awards are judged by a panel of forward-thinking and experienced individuals involved in shaping environmental sustainability in South Africa. We invite companies, parastatals, NGOs, schools, institutions and individuals to join in the celebration of the Greening Decade by showcasing your success stories in making the world a better place for those who live in it.


To enter go to www. http://greening.mg.co.za/ entries open Friday February 22, 2013 and close on Friday May 3, 2013.

For more information contact:

Tamarin Marshman
Project Manager: Events
tamarinm@mg.co.za
Mail & Guardian
Tel: 011 250 7300
195 Jan Smuts Ave
Rosebank

Call for proposals: international Environmental Art Residency

2013 Environmental Art Residency Program/Biennale: September
I-Park Foundation, East Haddam, Connecticut, USA

Application Deadline: Monday, April 1, 2013

A call for proposals to those working in the following creative fields:

• Environmental sculpture/installation
• Landscape/garden design
• Music composition, sound sculpture/design
• Performance art
• Language arts
• Architecture
• Photography, moving image
• Inter-disciplinary practice

Artists will create their works on site during their residency for presentation at the Biennale. 12 – 15 artists will be selected to participate. A $2,000 prize will be awarded to each participant or collaborating team to create the work, and transportation costs of up to $1,200 for artists travelling to and from other countries like South Africa. Lodging and meal service provided during the residency. There is a $30.00 entry fee.

To find out more and apply, go to:

• www.i-park.org/special-programs/2013-environmental-art-residency-program
• Environmental Art FAQ
• Application Materials

COMPETITION: Elle Decoration Solve New Talent Search

Elle Decoration Solve - Pick n Pay

Design an innovative, multi-functional object that incorporates a plant, or several plants, in order to green urban balconies and small indoor/ outdoor spaces. It's a call to address the challenging issues of greening in urban environments, where gardens are limited to balconies or small gardens and courtyards. This can be anything from a modular system, an item of furniture or any other design element that addresses the 'growing' need to green our spaces. The overall design dimensions should not exceed 1 cubic metre (length x breadth x height). However, if the design is part of a modular system, then one component must not exceed this size, but the overall size would be larger when the components are assembled.

Check the competition out!
DEADLINE: 19 July 2013

"Me and My Animal" Photography competition

Fun prizes are up for grabs as part of the Celebrate Life Festival.

Enter the photographic competition to be in line for outstanding prizes and see your picture on display at the Celebrate Life Festival at the River Club from 9-10 June 2012.

Theme: Photography must depict something which gives a focus on the bond between animals and humans. It does not have to be your personal pet but can also include animals in the wild. 

Entrants may use digital or film and can submit in black and white or colour. Entries must be mounted photographs in either A3 or A4 size (including mounting)and can be landscape or portrait. There is no charge for entry. An entry form must accompany each entry. Email info@celebratelife.co.za. The completed entry form must be submitted by 30 May 2012 and can be faxed to: 021 761 8666 or emailed to info@celebratelife.co.za. Due to limited space the first 80 entries will be accepted.

Nominations open for ImpACT Awards for Young Professionals

Nominations open for ImpACT Awards for Young Professionals

The Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) is recognising and celebrating excellence in South African arts, culture and creativity.

ACT is now open for nominations for the ImpACT Awards for Young Professionals which will be presented at the 14th annual ACT Awards. Artists up to the age of 30 years that fall within the first three years of their professional careers are eligible for nomination.

"The encouragement and acknowledgement of excellence is of utmost importance to the future of South African creativity. ACT is grateful to the Distell Foundation for sponsoring the ImpACT Awards for Young Professionals and we value the opportunity to support emerging artists and enhance excellence in the sector," says Pieter Jacobs, General Manager of ACT.

Emerging artists at a time in their careers when they have shown commitment to and reached some professional standing in their chosen discipline may be nominated in one of four categories:

• Visual Art (Painting and Printmaking, Sculpting, Public Installations & Photography)
• Performing Arts (Dance, Acting, Musical Theatre & Physical Theatre)
• Music & Singing (Classical, Contemporary & Jazz)
• Design (Craft, Graphic Design, Fashion Design & Web Design)

Winners of the ImpACT Awards are selected by an independent panel of judges. Awards will only be presented if a satisfactory number of quality nominations are received in the various categories and the adjudication panel reserves the right to carry over such awards to the following year.

The closing date for nominations is 29 July 2011. For guidelines and nomination forms please visit the ACT website at www.act.org.za.

The highlight of the Awards Ceremony is the presentation of three Lifetime Achievement Awards to luminaries for their lifelong contribution to theatre, music and visual arts in South Africa. Past recipients of this accolade include Miriam Makeba, John Kani, Gcina Mhlope, Ronnie Govender, Peter Clarke, and David Koloane amongst others. Lifetime Achievement Winners are nominated and selected by the ACT Board of Trustees.

The 14th annual ACT Awards is presented in partnership with the Vodacom Foundation, the Dramatic, Artistic and Literary Rights Organisation (DALRO), the Southern African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO) and is supported by the Distell Foundation, Classicfeel Magazine and Business and Arts South Africa (BASA).

The search for a Human Rights logo - DESIGN ONE!

On May 3, 2011 the Federal Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle launched a world-wide competition to find a logo for the issue of Human Rights, an issue which is one of the priorities of the German foreign policy. Creative people from around the world who are committed to human rights can submit their designs or rate and comment on the entries of others until July 31, 2011. You can find more information on the competition on the website of the German Embassy www.yaounde.diplo.de. You can also follow the following direct link:

http://www.jaunde.diplo.de/__Zentrale_20Komponenten/Ganze__Seiten/en/__Aktuelle__DiA__Seiten/humanrights__Logo__en__Uebersichtsseite.html?site=15641

They are also on Facebook: www.facebook.com/humanrightslogo

DESIGN COMPETITION

vida e caffè is running a design competition for new cup sleeves on 10and5 to commemorate vida’s 10 year anniversary.

The brief is open – come up with a design that fits the cup sleeve template, with the theme of vida's 10 year celebration. There are no specifics so get creative. Illustration, photography, choice of colour and style, it’s all up to you.

If your design is chosen, your artwork, name and URL to your online portfolio (should you have one) will be seen on every single take-away coffee leaving every one of vida’s 41 stores around the country for a month. PLUS the winner receives a year’s worth of vida coffee.

The competition runs until the 30th of June. Every week they’ll be posting entries on 10and5. Visit 10and5 to find out how to enter: http://10and5.com/2011/05/11/10and5-vida-e-caffe-design-competition

Why not specify that they use recycled paper, do an eco-conscious design, or experiment with eco-friendly techniques or solutions? This is your chance as a designer to make a difference!


Have a look at this cup sleeve, designed by Andrew Hainen, which doubles as a loyalty card, and works on the principes of reusing your cup sleeve!

WHERE DO THE ENVIRONMENT AND ARTS INTERSECT?

The world of art has always played an important role in stimulating thought and generating dialogue and now it has a crucial role to play in environmental awareness.

Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) believes that the arts can effectively bring creativity into the heart of environmental practices and actions and has introduced a new category – the Arts and Environment Award – into its annual awards. It will reward business support of arts and culture projects which contribute towards the sustainability of the environment.

According to BASA CEO Michelle Constant:

“The issue of sustainability is a growing one, and if the arts can be used to drive change in the individual user and larger corporates, it means a more holistic approach to the world around us.”

In the past year, there have been a number of impressive arts projects which played a vital role in green issues. The 2010 Philippi South African Education & Environment Project (SAEP) Arts and Environment Festival, funded by the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, was a celebration of the work of township high school youth completed through SAEP’s Arts and Environment Outreach Programmes. This Cape Town festival incorporated learners' achievements in these programmes in a two day celebration of culture and community. The festival culminated with the unveiling of a life-size giraffe sculpture made out of recycled wire and plastic cans and bottles by the SAEP Environment Club. The event also sought to bring both arts and the environment into township communities.

Spier’s annual Infecting The City Public Arts Festival involves transforming public spaces of Cape Town into works of art that will help urban dwellers view the city from a different perspective. It also focuses on forgotten natural resources and seemingly useless waste which is given a new life.

Johannesburg was the home of Tomorrow’s Joy by Usha Seejarim and Hannelie Coetzee from Such Initiative. It was commissioned by the Johannesburg Arts Alive International Festival, and is owned by the City of Johannesburg. The massive mosaic using nearly 100 000 bottle tops and erected in Newtown’s Mary Fitzgerald Square,depicted a band of children happily running across a playing field. Its aim was to change perceptions about recycling while beautifying the environment and instil a culture of eco-consciousness and a recycling awareness within Joburg society.



“Tomorrow’s Joy” by Such Initiative commissioned by Arts Alive



Constant urged all business, whether they are big corporates or small operations, who have supported arts and culture projects which contribute towards the sustainability of the environment to enter this year’s awards. She also encouraged business to look at sponsoring such projects.

The BASA Awards recognise and encourage excellence and innovation in the field of business support for the arts. Imaginative, innovative and cost-effective partnerships between business and the arts are highlighted, demonstrating the potential for synergy, the window of mutual opportunity and the far reaching benefits for business, for the arts, and for all South Africans.
The closing date for entries for the BASA Awards is May 20, 2011.

The easy-to-use online nomination system can be accessed on the BASA website at www.basa.co.za. The awards section features guidelines, rules and regulations and online nomination forms. Those requiring more information can also call the BASA offices on 011 832 3042/3039 or email info@basa.co.za.

The BASA Awards are supported by Business Day and Anglo American and the results are audited by Grant Thornton.

CALLING ALL ECO-CONSCIOUS ARTISTS

Competition: Communicating the future - explaining climate change through graphics

The Minor Foundation for Major Challenges invites you to participate in a competition that aims to select an extraordinarily good way of communicating the issue of man-made climate change.

The competition aims to inspire participants that have the ability to communicate a complex message in a way that might surprise or even awaken people.

If you can illustrate man-made climate change, its causes or consequenses in a way that brings the response

• Aha!
• So this is what it is all about!
• Something has to be done about it!
• We have to reduce our emissions of CO2!

Then please, consider participating in our competition and share your submission with us!



The Minor Foundation for Major Challenges is a non-profit foundation that supports information and public-opinion-forming aimed at limiting human induced climate change. The foundation recognizes that there is a need for downloadable graphic presentations available on the Internet which can be used for communicating the climate problem to the general public. Many organisations working with the climate issue have their own sets of graphs, diagrams and slides with their own logos used by their representatives during presentations. The foundation wishes to provide similar tools, but free to use by anyone who is interested and who wants to help spread knowledge about human-made climate change - its causes, effects and the fact that we have means to combat climate change. Main focus should be put on explaining the fundamental knowledge on man-made climate change.

The Minor Foundation for Major Challenges is envisioning a set of graphic, electronic presentations that can be downloaded for free. The presentations may contain static displays of graphs, figures, diagrams or other visual representations that explain different aspects of the issue. Animations, interactive applications, and formats open for the user to modify are also relevant. There are certainly many thinkable and unthinkable ways of creating such graphics, and in line with the Foundation's general policy, we are open for new, experimental ways of communicating the causes and challenges related to climate change. Conventional or radical in form and content - we welcome proposals for the development of graphic presentations that would be applicable to - and have effect on - a wide audience. Any text - written or spoken - should be in English, as this is an international competition with an international audience.

Proposals should be submitted through a dedicated web form at www.minor-foundation.no within May 1 2011.

A jury will pick three concepts from the submitted ideas that will have the opportunity to be developed, through receiving a sum of 100.000 Norwegian kroner each from The Minor Foundation for Major Challenges. The winner in this competition will receive a sum of 500.000 Norwegian kroner that is meant to finance the completion and implementation of the idea.

The Minor Foundation for Major Challenges will be copyright owner with the rights to distribute and communicate all final three submissions.

To learn more: http://www.minor-foundation.no/competition/


Strijdom van der Merwe


Janet Botes, Our Legacy


Antti Laitinen, Its My Island


ALSO read more about a callout for artists by Virginia MacKenny from UCT, for artists who work with a focus or awareness of environmental issues and climate change. Read about it on the COPART blog: dontcopoutcopart.blogspot.com/2011/04/calling-all-copartists-sadc-country.html

Have a heart

Ooops, a day late, but nevertheless, happy Valentine's day...



Now that you've had a nice picnic or candle-lit dinner (maybe we should start another Earth Hour on Valentine's day and make sure that everyone - even single people - enjoys a candle-lit dinner every year in February!), why not show a little more love and gift a tree?

Either go to Greenpop's website to buy a tree gift or even fruit tree gift, or follow this link and stand the chance to win a 3-night stay for 2 people at Umlani Bushcamp worth R15460 sponsored by Getaway magazine.

Read more about Greenpop and the competition...

Image: Heart by Pierre Bezuidenhout

....

Calling all aspiring film makers!!

An International Eco Film Competition

Competition Dates: February 18 - 20, 2011

"As a 48HFP filmmaker, you are part of an international community of filmmakers - the creative and the bold. We think you are the best people to draw attention to the environmental challenges the world faces. To that end, we have created a new 48HFP competition: the 48 Go Green!

Just like other 48 Hour Film events, this contest challenges you to make a narrative short film in only 48 hours - writing, shooting, and editing the film. "

http://www.48gogreen.com/