Young creatives are being urged to enter a competition to design an emblem for the “smartphone generation” to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Tristram Hunt, director of the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), said the project to define the Queen’s 70-year reign with a logo was a “multi-faceted” challenge, with the monarchy inextricably linked to the identity of the nation while also having a global dimension.
The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee will be celebrated during a special four-day bank holiday weekend in June next year, with national events from a concert featuring some of the world’s biggest stars, to a day at the races for the royal family.
“Because in a way, which is different to the Diamond Jubilee and Golden and Silver, this icon, brand, logo, emblem, whatever you want to call it, will be a kind of digital product as well, and so I think that’s a really exciting design challenge.”
From Monday, 13 to 25-year-olds across the UK can enter the competition, run by the V&A in conjunction with Buckingham Palace, and submit an original emblem signifying the Queen’s 70-year reign and capturing the spirit of the national events – by the closing date of July 16.
Among the panel of judges are typographer and graphic designer Margaret Calvert, who in the 1960s helped create the UK’s road signage system, and British-Nigerian designer Yinka Ilori, known for his colourful style.
The V&A’s director added: “I think Yinka Ilori’s work is so joyful and bright and engaging and speaking to modern Britain and at the same time we’ve obviously got Margaret Calvert, whose design aesthetic has helped subconsciously for us to understand Britain through the road signage.
“Monarchy is a global institution in many ways – so it’s Britain in the world and the world in Britain – it’s a multi-faceted challenge.”
The winning design will be used for all official merchandise commemorating the jubilee, as well as across digital and social media.
Young designers only have a few weeks to come up with their emblems but Mr Hunt said: “Hopefully thinking about this time next year when all of our freedoms will be returned and we celebrate the Platinum Jubilee will be a source of optimistic inspiration for them.
“You want to work to a deadline, designers need a good deadline – so this is doable.”
Performers have yet to be named but it is billed as bringing together some of the world’s biggest entertainment stars to celebrate the most significant and joyous moments from the Queen’s seven-decade reign.
Other highlights include a day at the races for the Queen, a passionate horse breeder, and her family who will fill the royal box for the Derby, held at Epsom Downs, before the concert.
The four-day weekend will begin on the Thursday with Trooping the Colour, which will be staged in full for the first time since the pandemic, and a service of thanksgiving for the Queen’s reign will be held at St Paul’s Cathedral on the Saturday.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “2022 will be a blockbuster year showcasing the best of Britain to the world. This is an exciting competition for our budding designers of the future and I encourage everyone to get involved.”
