Young designers invited to create special image for the London 2012 education programme

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has today launched a national competition for 16-21 year olds in full or part-time education to create a new design to infill the London 2012 Olympic logo. The new in-filled logo will become the official London 2012 education logo.

The competition to design what will become the second in-filled logo after the Union Jack logo created to celebrate the handover from the Beijing Games, delivers the promise to directly involve the public in London 2012 brand work.

The competition is an unrivalled opportunity for those considering a career in design as the education logo will be seen by young people and their communities right across the UK and reflects the core brand invitation to be part of London 2012. It will be awarded from September this year, together with the London 2012 Paralympic logo, to schools, colleges and local authority education providers who join the ‘Get Set’ network.

London 2012 Chairman Sebastian Coe said: 'Schools and colleges wanting to join the ‘Get Set’ network must place young people in the driving seat and empower them to demonstrate a commitment to the Olympic and Paralympic Values. Thus, it is only right that the logo we award be designed by young creative talent. The competition demonstrates our commitment to involve young people in the London 2012 Games in many different ways.'

More than 1 in 10 schools and colleges in the UK are already registered with ‘Get Set’, the official London 2012 education programme which is driven by an interactive website www.london2012.com/getset.

Registered schools and colleges who demonstrate student-led commitment to the Olympic and Paralympic Values - of friendship, excellence, respect, inspiration, courage, determination and equality – now have the chance to join the ‘Get Set’ network and receive recognition the form of the new London 2012 education logo.

To join the network schools and colleges will need to register with ‘Get Set’, showcase their work around the Values via a new dedicated ‘Get Set’ blog and complete a short application form. From September they will receive the London 2012 education logo for use on their headed paper, website and school sign, as well as a plaque and certificate marking their achievements. Members of the network will also receive access to exclusive competitions and Games related opportunities over the next three and half years.

Young designers are invited to create a new infill that reflects the ambitions and excitement of ‘Get Set’ and the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. LOCOG is looking for a distinctive concept that fits with the London 2012 brand and its strategy of participation.

The closing date for entries is 5 June after which 4 - 6 finalists will present their idea to a panel of judges including BMX world champion and ‘Get Set’ hero, Olympian Shanaze Reade. The winner will work closely with LOCOG to develop a final version of the logo which will be used in both print and digital media. The winning logo will be revealed in September when the first schools and colleges to join the ‘Get Set’ network are announced.

LOCOG’s Amanda Jennings, Head of Brand and Marketing and Nick Fuller, Head of Education hosted a design briefing on the competition for students at Hackney College in Shoreditch, London. Entrants can watch a short film of the briefing, and obtain the competition rules and guidelines, at www.london2012.com/logocompetition.

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For further information please contact the London 2012 Press Office on +44 (0)203 2012 100 or visit the website at www.london2012.com. Find out the latest from London 2012 HQ on our blog.

Notes to Editors:

1. The education logo will be second official London 2012 logo infill. The first, the Beijing/London Handover logo, was created in the summer of 2008 and featured the Union Jack flag.

2. Photographs from the design briefing at Hackney College can be accessed free of charge via Getty.

3. Highlights of the ‘Get Set’ website include:

• A range of free, flexible resources with the Paralympic and Olympic Values at their heart. Resources available on the site are for 3-19 year olds and include inspirational films, interactive games, fact sheets, news articles and more, along with an Educators section for practitioners and senior management.
• The opportunity to ‘Go Further’ and get involved in initiatives supported by London 2012 partners in eight key themes - internationalism; communication, collaboration and citizenship; practical learning; PE and sport; enterprise; sustainability and regeneration; culture and creativity, and healthy, active lifestyles.

As it heads towards its £2bn budget for staging the Olympic and Paralympic Games, LOCOG now has seven domestic Tier One Partners - adidas, BP, British Airways, BT, EDF Energy, Lloyds TSB and Nortel. There are three domestic Tier Two Supporters – Adecco, Cadbury and Deloitte. There are five domestic Tier Three Suppliers and Providers – Airwave, Atkins, Boston Consulting Group, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP and Trident.

The Worldwide Olympic Partners signed up for 2012 are Coca-Cola, Acer, Atos Origin, GE, McDonald’s, Omega, Panasonic, Samsung and Visa.