Platinum Jubilee Emblem Competition launched

On behalf of The Queen, The V&A has launched a competition for budding UK artists between 13 and 25 to design an emblem for Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee next year. Here’s everything you need to know …

Detail of works by Gabriella Marcella, one of the panellists.

Symbolising the very first Platinum Jubilee, the emblem will feature prominently throughout Jubilee year, appearing on official merchandise, national broadcasts and widely across digital and social media.

The winning emblem will be announced in Summer 2021 and the winner will be invited to take part in the Platinum Jubilee celebrations at Buckingham Palace, including receiving an invitation to the ‘Platinum Party at the Palace’.

What we’re looking for

We want you to get your creative juices flowing and come up with something truly striking and original.
Your design needs to:

be simple enough to work on small and large scales, in black and white and in colour.
include a drawing of a royal crown - find out more about crowns.
be relevant to the Platinum Jubilee - find out more about the events which are planned for the Jubilee.
not feature any likeness of The Queen herself.

The closing date is 16 July 2021. Go to: https://www.vam.ac.uk/info/the-platinum-jubilee-emblem-competition for the full Ts and Cs, and to post your entry.

About the V&A

The V&A Museum, which is running the competition has a unique Royal history.

It was built following on from the great success of Prince Albert’s brainchild: the Great Exhibition of 1851, which showcased the best of industry and design.

In May 1899 Queen Victoria laid the foundation stone and named the new institution the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Since then, it has become renowned as the world's leading museum of art and design.

Find out more about the V&A story.

The panellists

The competition will be judged by some of the world’s best artists and designers.

Margaret Calvert
You may not have heard of Margaret Calvert, but you probably see her designs every day: she is responsible for many of the road signs seen throughout the UK.

Margaret has offered some advice for potential entrants:

Keep the design simple, remembering that it has to work across more than one medium — both large and small and in colour as well as black and white.
It’s important to realise that it must include a Crown.
Always best to first establish the constraints, which can often act as a springboard for a more original approach. Once understood, ideas will come — often at moments least expected. Only then can you start sketching them out — however rough.
It’s always a good idea to try them out on friends first, before tackling the final piece of finished artwork.
Look at similar projects that you think work.