Discovering new talent

The GCA’s New Creative Talent scheme aims to showcase the work of young designers and encourage them to join the industry.

The first university to sign up is Birmingham City University, which is now a GCA member and is showcasing the work of eight of its graduating students who hope to find work within the greeting card industry (see www.gca.cards/directory/birminghamcity-university).

GCA CEO Amanda Fergusson said: ‘’This is part of the GCA’s work to protect and promote our industry - it is really important to share information about our industry and to offer a route into the greeting card industry for the designers of the future. And of course to share the joy of greeting cards with the card senders of the future too!’’

The scheme is being led by creative consultant Geoff Sanderson, who has spent many years recruiting and developing greeting card designers in businesses such as Tigerprint/M&S, Hallmark and Moonpig.

He recently visited the New Designers graduate event at London’s Business Design Centre, to publicise the initiative.

The GCA has also been working with Tracy Allanson-Smith, visual communication employability coordinator at Birmingham Institute of Creative Arts, who says the benefits of the scheme for card publishers include: an oppportunity to recruit new creative talent; get new ideas and innovation, fresh perspectives, enthusiasm and energy; and find new untapped talent who bring technologically advanced approaches.

Universities, colleges and art schools can find out more about the benefits for them and their students at www.gca.cards/connecting-students-with-the-greetingcard-industry.