The UPPERCASE + Windham Fabrics New Designer Competition

We are excited to share this exciting New Designer Competition from the amazing Uppercase Magazine.

The UPPERCASE Surface Pattern Design Guide Second Edition will be a special part of UPPERCASE magazine issue #32 (Jan/Feb/March 2017) that will feature the best in established and up-and-coming surface pattern designers.

By being part of the guide, your work will be exposed to an engaged and active readership of art and design buyers, potential clients, collaborators and consumers.

Janine Vangool of UPPERCASE and members of the Windham Fabrics team will select one designer as the winner of the New Designer Competition. The winning designer will have the opportunity to develop a fabric collection with Windham and will have a feature in the magazine.

Please read the below hints and tips and find out more about the competition here.

Before doing anything else, please read the entry form to see what is required and to make sure that you’re qualified to enter the Windham New Designer Competition.
If you haven’t submitted via our submissions form, create a login. This is for the Submittable system we use, totally unrelated and unconnected to our shop or newsletter.
You can only enter ONCE so make sure you take your time and include your best work. We won’t allow modifications to entries once they have been submitted.
You must check off the competition box to enter! It is one entry form for both the Surface Pattern Design Guide and Windham New Designer Competition.
You know what contracts you have signed and where you have licensed your work! Please do not contact Janine with such details or questions. If you have any concerns, contact the company with whom you are under contract for clarification.
You can enter existing work or make new patterns just for this competition. Submit surface pattern designs (ie not general illustrations or other projects).
Download the previous edition to see how the designs will be presented and learn from the experts.
It’s ok if you sell your pattern designs on a platform like Spoonflower, you can enter the Windham competition as long as you don’t have or have never had a fabric licensing deal. (Should you sign a fabric licensing contract between now and October 2016, this will void your eligibility and we will select the runner-up.)
Don’t stop trying to get a licensing deal with a fabric company just because you’ve entered this competition! We’re expecting 100s of submissions, so don’t put your career on hold.
You’ll need 5-8 images of your best pattern designs or pattern illustrations. They should be jpgs cropped square, 4 inches wide at 300dpi.
Please submit colourways that look good with one another since three patterns will be chosen for publication.
Do not wait until the last minute to upload your entry.
Should you be selected the winner of the Windham competition, the submitted designs won’t necessary be part of the fabric collection with Windham. You’ll be judged on overall quality of your submission and portfolio.
Submitters accepted for publication in UPPERCASE magazine will be notified in October 2016. Do not inquire beforehand! We will email everyone whether you were accepted or not.
The winner will be contacted in October 2016 but be sworn to secrecy. The winner will be announced publicly in January 2017.