AWARD Uni Launches for Mid-Weight Creatives

This Way Up: Australia’s Advertising Festival of Creativity - chaired by industry heavyweight Jonathan Kneebone and a team of acclaimed CCO and ECDs.

The series of six workshops has been designed for creatives with 3-5 years’ experience, providing them with the critical skills, thinking and confidence to maximise their day-to-day success and long-term career potential.

Jonathan, course curator and co-founder of The Glue Society, has helped develop the careers of some of Australia’s best creative talent. He’ll be joined by co-curators Mandie van de Merwe (CCO, Dentsu Creative), Julian Schreiber (partner & CCO, Special Australia) and Barb Humphries (ECD, The Monkeys) in bringing AWARD Uni to life through interactive sessions and short, inspirational lectures.

“So many creatively-minded folk come out of AWARD School only to face the daily challenges of working in the advertising industry; whether that’s navigating agency processes, understanding client agendas or even shaping their unique creative perspective,” said Jonathan.

“We’ve established AWARD Uni to help them overcome those hurdles and guide them in reaching a turning point in their career where things start to run seamlessly, from communicating and creating momentum around an idea to judging it on its merits, selling it through the agency, getting it made in the way they want and more.”

“The course will help them catalyse their creative capability, critical thinking and confidence.”

Two modules from AWARD Uni will take place in-person at This Way Up at Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art on August 16 and 17. Attendees will then be able to complete the remaining workshops online under the careful guidance of Jonathan, Mandie, Julian and Barb - with more mentors to be announced in coming weeks.

Cam Blackley, AWARD chair, said: “AWARD runs the longest-standing and most respected professional development program for creatives in Australia and we’re proud to add AWARD Uni to our offering.

“Training for mid-weight creatives has been the missing link for many agencies in recent years, and it has been rewarding to develop a curated course that inspires and fosters actionable creative skills, things that will help people to make their mark and reach their potential,” he said.

Find out more about AWARD Uni here.