EMMA SMITH SCHOLARSHIP AWARD

The nominees have been announced for the 2012 Emma Smith Scholarship Award by Francesca Verga, Curator at the Durban University of Technology’s Art Gallery. At the ceremony on February 1, the winner will walk away with a R40,000 scholarship.

The award was incepted in 1920 by KwaZulu-Natal sugar industry magnate, Sir Charles Smith. Named after his mother, Smith’s endowment was made in appreciation of the work of visionary Art School Head John Adams.

Elsie Currie was the first winner of the award. Dion Chang; South African corporate trend analyst and design consultant, photographer Angela Buckland and artists Deanne Donaldson and Ledelle Moe are some of the famous names who have also received the award.

While the original intention of the scholarship was to allow winners to go overseas to study, the award has been extended to include a variety of purposes or projects proposed by the candidates. These include community-based workshops, further study in South Africa or the African continent and or solo exhibitions. The competition is open to students from the full range of design, visual and performing arts programmes offered at the institution. Members of the judging panel are drawn from leading practitioners in the various disciplines; nominated by heads of department.

Students are required to exhibit a body of work for adjudication. The candidates will also be required to be present at the time when the work is being viewed and be prepared to be interviewed. Once the participating candidates have been interviewed, the selection panel will decide on the award which will be announced at an awards ceremony.

The students nominated for the award this year are: Shelley Botha (Fashion Design); Tyler Ken Dolan (Graphic Design); Shelly Anthea Kenny (Interior Design); Lethuxolo Nomfundo Langa (Fine Art); Nicolé Maurel (Fine Art); Michelle Robyn Stewart (Jewellery Design); Tamryn Ann Stewart (Interior Design), and Michael James van Heerden (Graphic Design)

More information from Francesca Verga on 031 373 2207 or 082 720 7635.