Record 93 winners scoop Print Futures Awards

A record 93 winners were presented with their Print Futures Awards this week, as the scheme marks 10 years of helping emerging talent. 

This year's winners included Saraband digital and production coordinator Elizabeth Beck, Carnegie Publishing book design and publishing assistant Srishti Kadu, Trigger Publishing junior editor Kasim Mohammed and Zoe Turner, who is head of publicity and outreach at Comma Press. 

248 applicants from across the UK applied for this year's awards, which saw the judging process go to Leeds for the first time, reflecting the number of applications from the north. The awards aim to champion a diverse range of roles and showcase emerging talent and help fund training courses to support personal and skills development.  The Printing Charity scheme awards people aged 18 to 30 years looking to join and those already progressing in the UK printing, paper, packaging, publishing, and graphic arts sector with grants worth up to £1,500. 

The 2019 cohort were presented with their awards on Wednesday 24th July at a reception at the House of Lords hosted by Lord Black of Brentwood, deputy chairman of the Telegraph Media Group and president emeritus of The Printing Charity.

He said: “In some ways this is the worst of times with the huge pressures of commercial and structural change in our industry as we feel the full impact of the digital revolution, but in so many other ways this is the best of times for young people like you joining the industry. The opportunities are literally endless for those with the skills, energy, and determination to succeed, not least through a commitment to lifelong learning. These Awards are important because they celebrate those opportunities and your successful start to what I hope and know will be long and distinguished careers.

“This year we had 248 applications from across the country and a fantastic range of skills. For the first time the judging process went to Leeds, reflecting the number of applications from the north. It’s also great news for our industry that we had so many applications from women, almost two-to-one.”

Other winners included graphic design student Chloe Daly, Charlotte Brady, an international sales executive at Canongate Books and Philippa Adams, who works on foreign rights deals at Jessica Kingsley Publishers, while completing a part-time MA in cultural studies. The Printing Charity scheme awards people aged 18 to 30 years looking to join and those already progressing in the UK printing, paper, packaging, publishing, and graphic arts sector with grants worth up to £1,500. 

Neil Lovell, The Printing Charity’s chief executive, added: “These Awards have grown exponentially in the last few years. We’re thrilled to help you find new routes, undertake extra training, and develop your careers. We have a lot of new faces and companies involved this year so my call is to please pass on the message to encourage more organisations to get involved.”

Full list of this year's winners here.