Shortlist for Liverpool Design Awards released

THE LIVERPOOL DESIGN INITIATIVE has announced the shortlist for the second Liverpool Design Awards, which will be presented on 21 March. The awards form part of a long-term plan to raise awareness of the design industry in Liverpool.

Sixteen consultancies have been shortlisted for this year’s awards ceremony from a total of 130 entrants. There will be some familiar names from last year’s awards, including Union North, (formerly Shed ID) for the Tate Gallery Liverpool’s new donation box, and Nonconform for the Everyman Theatre’s Spring Season brochure.

There will also be a focus on newcomers including Splinter, Urban Splash and the Unity Theatre and designers such as Jason Casey. The awards will be judged this year by The Partners’ Gillian Thomas, Casson Mann’s Dinah Casson, and David Fisher from Seymour Powell.

The awards will encompass a broad sweep of design categories, from furniture design to multimedia to product design. Development manager Penny Bradshaw says the inclusion of several different design categories is essential to raise the profile of Liverpool’s design community. “The awards bring the design community together and help link Merseyside-based commissioners with Merseyside designers. It’s all about getting the message across that you don’t need to go outside the North-west to get the best design,” she says.

The shortlisted consultancies will be announced publicly by a banner exhibition in Liverpool city centre from the end of this month.