Taking place every summer, Oxford Festival of the Arts is a city-wide fortnight of creativity, culture and community.
Founded by Magdalen College School in 2008, the Festival has grown to attract nationally and internationally renowned artists and performers. This year, around 23,000 visitors came along to events, performances and experiences taking place in 13 different venues across Oxford. From the opening celebration in Bonn Square featuring a pop-up street orchestra, to immersive opera, big-name speakers, theatre, photography, poetry, comedy, dance and more, OFA 2019 had something for everyone.
This magnificent Festival will turn 12 in 2020 and to celebrate, they’re hosting a rather special competition with OX Magazine…
OFA is inviting all artists, designers and illustrators to help design the cover for the 2020 brochure!
The winner will see their design adorning all 25,000 copies distributed across the county, with full artwork credit inside as well as an invitation to attend the exclusive Festival launch event in June. The competition will be judged by a panel chosen by Festival Director, Dr Michelle Castelletti.
We are also proud to exclusively reveal your inspiration for the OFA 2020 brochure cover…
The 500th Anniversary of the Field of the Cloth of Gold
In June 1520, Henry VIII and Francis I of France arranged a summit to grow the bond of friendship between the two kings. They met in Balinghem on a piece of land equidistant between England and France and called the Field of the Cloth of Gold. It was one of the most lavish and impressive meetings held between the two kings and lasted for 17 days. Extravagant pavilions and tents were constructed and approximately 5,000 men and women accompanied Henry VIII across the Channel as well as around 3,000 horses. It was a sumptuous affair with jousting, archery, singing and entertainment as well as exotic and magnificent feasts, including fountains that flowed with wine!
Some ideas to get you started
- For the colour palette, include some gold or gilt, and preferred colours will come from illuminated manuscripts.
- Aspects of the Field of the Cloth of Gold such as tents, kites, horses, royalty, tapestry, entertainment, chivalry, dragons and fountains (see the image above).
- Early Renaissance and Tudor iconography.
- Illuminated manuscripts with coloured borders (marginalia) and miniature illustrations
- Music and musical notation - perhaps from a piece that relates to the time/place
- Symbols of peace and fraternity.
- England and France.
RULES & SPECIFICATIONS
- The competition is open to anyone over the age of 16 – from total amateurs to experienced professionals.
- Oxford Festival of the Arts will retain the copyright of the winning design which will be used in print and digital marketing.
- The required format is PDF/X with all fonts embedded/outlined.
- Your artwork must be 210 x 210mm, plus 5mm bleed with trim marks (the brochure is A5).
- Your design must leave room for the OFA logo to appear at the top (9cm wide x 4cm high).
- It must be submitted digitally – physical work will not be accepted.
Submit your entries to artsfestival@mcsoxford.org and you must include your name, phone number and an email address.
The closing date for entries is Friday 28th February 2020 – the judge’s decision is final.