IPEX 2017: an update

Delivering on its “print in action” vision, IPEX has announced a design challenge aimed at apprentice graphic arts designers and students to create part of its 2017 advertising campaign.

Apprentices and students, and designers working in the wider community aged under 25, are invited to develop and submit a design of a visitor promotion advertisement for IPEX. The winning designs will be run in the trade press over a five-month period. Entries will be judged by a panel comprising a publisher, marketing experts, graphics designers and chaired by IPEX Event Director, Rob Fisher.

“We felt this is a great way to engage with people who are currently completing apprenticeships in graphic arts and print companies, and with those designers aged under 25 who are working in the wider print community. It gives them an opportunity to showcase their work on an international stage”, commented Fisher.

The closing date for entries is 30th April and the winner will receive a MacBook Air with runners-up receiving gift vouchers to redeem for equipment of their own choice. Prizes will be presented at a ceremony held on the main stage of this year’s IPEX on November 1st. The competition is closely aligned with the Future Skills Zone, another new key feature at IPEX this year, and aimed specifically to help printers attract new talent into the industry.

Another important news concerning IPEX is that James Matthews-Paul has been appointed IPEX 2017 Content Curator. Jame has a reputation in the print industry as a firebrand journalist, entrepreneur and consultant. Formerly editor-in-chief and publisher of multimedia journal Output, James’s links throughout all areas of the global industry make him uniquely able to deliver a fresh and inspiring new content programme for IPEX 17 – a show in which he has great confidence.

Informa Exhibitions has also signed London College of Fashion to collaborate on printed fashion catwalk under its PRINT IN ACTION theme. This is believed to be the first such project linking the print community with a major university and will result in a thrice-daily catwalk show on each of IPEX’s four days.

IPEX takes place from October 31 – November 3, 2017, at the NEC in Birmingham, UK.