The One Club for Creativity has announced the launch of Colorful: A Prelude to Young Guns 20, and tripled the size of the grant programme to $9,000 in an aim to help young Bipoc creatives around the world advance their careers.
There is no fee to apply, and the grant is open globally to Bipoc creatives who qualify for the club’s Young Guns competition: age 30 years and under with at least two years of professional creative experience and never having won Young Guns in the past.
Candidates must submit links to six projects in their portfolio, as well as a short essay and a 60-second video (phone or webcam acceptable) to introduce themselves and describe their dream project.
The deadline for the free application for a Colorful grant is 15 April.
A Bipoc jury of past Young Guns winners will review submissions and select one gifted entrant to receive the first-place grant of $3,000 towards a professional dream project of their choosing. Runner up will receive a $2,000 grant, and two third-place winners will each receive $1,000.
In addition, all Colorful finalists receive free entry into Young Guns 20, as will the first 10 qualifying candidates to enter when the competition opens on 18 May.
2021 Colorful winner Sean Wang, a New York-based filmmaker, went on to become a YG19 winner, as did finalist Dani Choi, an illustrator also in New York.
Funding for this year’s Colorful is provided by Russell’s Reserve Bourbon and Rich Tu, group creative director at Jones Knowles Ritchie New York who conceived of the grant programme last year.
“I always feel we can do more to change this industry for the better, challenge pre-existing norms, and provide inclusive spaces for Bipoc representation,” said Tu. “I wanted to put my money where my mouth is and build upon the great work we did last year. That’s why we do this, to send a signal to the industry that we’re here too and that we won’t go away.“
Branding for this year’s Colorful programme was created by Lebassis, art director and lettering artist based in Rio de Janeiro and YG18 winner.
