The Nationwide Degree Show offers grads billboard space to show their work

Degree shows around the world are cancelled due to lockdown restrictions, and as a result creative graduates are lacking a platform to share and celebrate the results of all their hard work. So, a new UK-based campaign called The Nationwide Degree Show is offering grads a chance to display their work on billboards across the country.

The initiative has been launched by a trio of designers – India Pearce, a designer at VaynerMedia London, Charlotte Weyer, a product designer at Vitamin London, and Anoushka Schellekens, a designer at Gravity Road – who have partnered with media company Ocean Outdoor, a specialist in large-format digital out-of-home billboards. The company has given the campaign £49,000’s worth of billboard space to show graduate’s work in London, Bristol, Glasgow and Manchester for two weeks from 25 May 2020. All grads have to do is submit their work online before the end of tomorrow, 15 May.

Submissions are open to any art or design students who are entering the industry this year. This will primarily be final year BA students, but also grads from MA and higher college courses. The trio says, however, that work will likely focus on graphic design, illustration and visual communication students, given the nature of the canvas.

However, the team behind the campaign are currently looking for more ways to display the work. “Although billboards are a massive achievement to start this project off, it by no means stops here,” the trio comments.

Across the world, a number of initiatives are offering a digital replacements for graduates missing out on celebrations. On 6 June, YouTube is hosting a virtual national high school graduation ceremony featuring commencement addresses by none other than Barack and Michelle Obama, Lady Gaga and Malala Yousafzai.

Meanwhile, It’s Nice That’s own Graduates showcase will be opening for entries soon, so keep your eyes peeled.