It was merely weeks ago how I told all of you that I thought design competitions were a waste of time and now, here I am, hat in hand entering the GDFS Poster Competition. It's both a difference in perspective and very bold hypocrisy—so I shall draw my case; guilty or not guilty, I leave it to you, the jury to decide. Bang the hammer, call the verdict and lock me away—I'm probably guilty anyway.
So, to appeal to your better nature I shall depict to you all my reasonings for why I am not guilty, for I may be a hypocrite but I shall fight tooth and nail not to be incorrect.
It's different this time Like any good person driven down by an addiction, I believe in this instance for which I swore against is different, it's different because the schematics of the competition operate differently and there isn't a significant power imbalance.
There is no corporate interest Unlike in my previous writings, I had flamed big business for taking a large chunk of creative talent through desperation and hope, slicing away their ideas with the blunt blade of unpaid work. In this case, the competition is organised by a festival and the outcome of winning is exposure—real exposure, not the synonym for 'free work' we know it to be.
The work is not being stolen Any and all work submitted to the competition is not being taken to suit a real-world project. You can submit posters made in the past for previous projects, posters made for yourself or a poster designed specifically to celebrate the said competition—there isn't anything to be taken as there isn't any one thing to be made.
But wait, don't slam down your gabble just yet; I know the noise is very satisfying but you've got to hear me out—you can't just listen to the defendants and make your case, that's not how we work in a liberal society. So please, hear me out—these are the reasons why I'm guilty, like a sharply hidden dog round the corner from a half-devoured toilet roll.
It's not different this time I'm submitting work, to a competition where I know not who will handle my work, not who will judge it and have no idea what will happen to it—all on the promise of some money and exposure.
There is corporate interest Like any large body of design, there is corporate interest in what they do, what they are producing and how any business can incorporate themselves into these happenings to make their moral business compass point true 'trendy' north. Even if nothing is being taken and developed into a business idea, nothing exists for free and this competition certainly didn't cost me anything pence to enter.
Your work is being stolen The end goal of this competition is to have your pockets lined, your work showed and people look upon the work that is shown. Those people are looking for fulfilment, happiness, inspiration and ideas; just alike any good weekend museum stroller. Though there is no direct, inspired theft, there is always to be passive idea pilfering because that's how creativity works—especially any creativity that can come from observation.
Guilty or not guilty, I'll let you decide. But we should understand that we are all hypocrites; it just depends on what topics you are being hypocritical of, to how much of a profanely branded vulva you are. Perhaps my values will make me say one thing about design opportunities and do another but if you are being hypocritical of serious matters, then you should have a rethink.
Like my tutor told me, and now I'm telling you, "I might be talking total bollocks, but that's for you to decide". If I say competitions are wrong, then you need to look into what I'm saying to see not whether I'm being habitually factual to rather whether you agree or not – or even – whether I'm actually talking bollocks altogether.
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