New Blood: Graduate festival moves to east London

D&AD’s decade old graduate showcase will move to Shoreditch in 2010.   The organisers announced today that New Blood will undergo a radical transformation next summer as it moves to east London.  The exhibition element will take up one week of graduate show Free Range (24-29 June), by filling the Truman Brewery with the best advertising and design courses from D&AD’s University Network membership.  The exhibition will be complemented by a range of events and activities arranged in partnership with creative organisations and companies in the area.

“New Blood will centre around networking – a crucial skill for students to learn,’ said D&AD Education & Professional Development Director Laura Woodroffe.  “Where better to learn that than in the middle of one of London’s creative hubs?  We’re going to take over Shoreditch and are calling on all our industry friends in the area to work with us to participate in creative ways.  We will run a series of industry events, along with workshops and training for students and tutors.  Additional content will be provided by our education partners Shellsuitzombie, who will run activities within the exhibition itself.”

Tamsin O’Hanlon, Free Range Director said “Free Range and D&AD New Blood are quite simply stronger by working together. Through this partnership we will be better able to support tomorrows’ creative talent and their tutors.”

“This is a prime opportunity for the industry,’ said Greg Quinton, D&AD Education Chairman and Creative Partner at The Partners.  “Not only will it be incredibly convenient for many to be able to simply drop in to the exhibition, the savvy within the industry should also be getting in touch with D&AD to organise events that get those graduates into their agencies and studios.  Agencies and graduates both learn so much about ’agency fit’ by simply sharing a bit of time in their own space/habitat/turf/caravan/etc.”

“New Blood has always been a motivating and inspiring occasion for our Graphic Design, Illustration and Advertising students,’ said Chris Waite, Course Leader, University College Falmouth.  “It’s a great opportunity for them to show off their talents to a genuinely influential audience.  The move of venue to Shoreditch – smack in the middle of London’s communications industry – promises not only a great show, but also a whole series of satellite workshop and training events, to be run in collaboration with the kind of organisations where our graduates aspire to work.  The potential for networking – students, employers, tutors, media – is without equal.  We’re looking forward to it immensely.”

Visit www.dandad.org for further information.