ABOUT GHOST PROJECT
Ghost Project is an international platform for talents in the field of product design. Starting as a small local exhibition of unexecuted projects in 2006, Ghost Project has grown into a significant regional review of design talents from around the world, enhancing the exchange between designers from different cultural backgrounds and giving unique insight into the upcoming generation of designers who will be shaping our future.
COMPETITION THEME 2024: “MICROCOSM”
Ghost Project theme for 2024 – “Microcosm” invites young product designers to explore the often-overlooked realms of small-scale interventions and incremental innovations that have potential to transform our microcosms into a more sustainable and socially thriving environment for all.
From the overlooked corners of urban landscapes to the intricacies of objects we use in our daily life, there is a wealth of untapped potential waiting to be unleashed through clever and witty micro-improvements that may appear modest in scale but with the potential to make a substantial impact on sustainability, social equity, health and wellbeing, urban resilience, and much more.
As part of the Mikser Festival 2024 edition which explores the power of “Micro-tactics”, the Ghost Project theme “Microcosm” echoes the butterfly effect, where a small gesture can set in motion a chain of events leading to significant change. By focusing on micro-tactics, whether it’s in city elements, design of products and services, or community engagement, designers have the potential to create a ripple effect with far-reaching implications, one well-considered design choice at a time.
JURY
Richard van der Laken, Designer,Founder of What Design Can Do, Netherlands
Jelena Matic, Professor, Faculty of Forestry, University of Belgrade, Serbia
Nikola Radeljkovic, Product Designer, Numen/ForUse, Croatia
Vasso Asfi & Loukas Angelou, founders, StudioLav, UK / Greece
Maja Lalic, Founder, Mikser, Serbia
COMPETITION SUBJECT
Design concepts; products – furniture, lighting, interior elements, everyday objects, street mobiliar, urban farming inventions, didactic toys and tools, aid products, shelters, home accessories, textile and fashion garments, stationary; urban scenarios and services; digital solutions; innovative design and production scenarios that offer economically and socially sustainable solutions to local problems, both in urban and rural environments; etc.
CRITERIA
Criteria appreciated by the Jury: designs or concepts that demonstrate potential to disrupt industries, improve lives, and address pressing societal or environmental issues. Designers should demonstrate their ability to craft meaningful solutions through the strategic use of micro tactics, whether it’s unexpected application of materials, the unconventional arrangement of known elements enabling multiple use(rs),fresh take on traditional techniques, the subtle strategic use of color, or the hidden details that elevate the user experience, especially for those groups who are often unrepresented (women, elderly, people with disabilities, children, teens, unprivileged, etc.)
GENERAL TERMS
The competition is open to all persons up to 35 years of age, from all over the world.
Applicants may be individuals or groups of authors. Each applicant / group may submit more than one entry, each in a separate application.
DEADLINE AND PROJECT SUBMISSION
The competition is open till 15 April, 2024. Applicants are able to submit their projects via online form at ghost.mikser.rs until 15th April 2024 at 23.59.
WINNERS ANNOUNCEMENT
The jury will announce the winners on 25th April, 2024 at mikser.rs.
AWARD
Winners of the Competition will participate in the The Ghost Project exhibition within the Mikser Festival in Belgrade, Southeast Europe’s largest regional festival of creativity and innovation taking place in Lower Dorcol in Belgrade, from 23-25 May, 2024.
The award is consisting of:
- Participation in the central talent exhibition of Mikser Festival – Ghost Project 2024: MICROCOSM (Exhibition Selection Certificate)
- Opportunity to receive one of the special Jury recognitions in several categories (Ghost Project Awards)
- Attendance at the Ghost Project Awards Ceremony to be held on the closing day of the Mikser Festival 2024, on the evening of 25 May
- Free participation in Masterclass: Next Gen Design, about principles of Design for Circular Economy led by sustainable design experts (Masterclass Attendance Certificate)
- Free access to festival programs, lectures, discussions and music performances*.
*Detailed program of the Mikser Festival will be announced at the beginning of May 2024
IMPORTANT NOTES
If selected for the Ghost Project exhibition, submitted entries in the category of products must be executed as functional prototypes, while concepts and scenarios must be adequately presented through other media (installation, live action, video, animation, storyboard, etc).
By submitting this application, designers commit – if selected to participate in the Ghost Project exhibition – to produce and personally bring their prototypes / installations to the Mikser Festival venue on 22 May 2024, and remove them from the festival venue on 26 May 2024, carefully following instructions which will be sent out to each winner by the Organizer after the announcement of the competition results.
Upon the announcement of the competition results, the Organizer will contact the laureates to provide them with the official invitation letter to accompany their prototypes during the transportation, detailed instructions on time and place of prototypes delivery and pick-up, information for affordable accommodation in Belgrade, as well as the festival program of lectures and workshops that winning designers are obliged to attend.
The decisions of the jury are final. Any claims arising in relation to the authorship of the design or of possible plagiarism thereof, will be the responsibility of the designer. In the event of non-fulfillment of any of the rules herein, the design submitted will be excluded from the Competition.
ORGANIZERS
CURATORS
Maja Lalic, Founder, Mikser Association, Serbia
Jelena Matic, Professor, Faculty of Forestry, University of Belgrade, Serbia
GHOST PROJECT TEAM
Project coordinator: Jelena Krivokapic
Communications: Aleksandra Malusev, Anita Dakic
Design: Branko Tmusic, Ksenija Pantelic
INFO & INQUIRIES
phone: +381658040131
email: ghostproject@mikser.rs
www.mikser.rs
COMPETITION LINKS
Competition text: https://www.mikser.rs/ghostproject2024/
Application form: https://www.mikser.rs/ghostproject2024/form/
