Natixis Investment Managers (Natixis IM) wanted to celebrate Black History Month, and approached London College of Communication (LCC) to work with its diverse student talent on a visual art competition. Students were invited to submit proposals for a 2D visual art commission celebrating Black history and culture, which will be permanently displayed in Natixis IM’s UK office.
The opportunity was promoted to students and graduates through Creative Shift, University of the Arts London (UAL)’s community and programme dedicated to shaping a diverse creative industry and supporting underrepresented voices; UAL’s Careers and Employability newsletter; and on LCC’s social media channels. It was also shared directly with students through 52 academics and course leaders representing at least 37 relevant courses.
Natixis IM’s International Multicultural and Diversity Engagement Group selected Davinia Clarke and Jospeh Ijoyemi as the two finalists. They invited their employees to vote for the winning proposal and BA (Hons) Illustration and Visual Media student Davinia Clarke’s proposal, We Live On, was selected. BA (Hons) Illustration and Visual Media students explore communications across a mixture of mediums, including painting, installation, drawing, typography, photography, film, digital and print-based media, with a critical engagement with wider contexts. Davinia’s proposal for Natixis reflected endless learning from the richness of Black history and culture and the abundance of its stories. Natixis IM loved all three of Davinia’s designs and asked her to work them into triptych-style series. Davinia was awarded a £1500 prize, and her designs were printed on canvas and unveiled at a special reception in Natixis’s office.
ContactLCC Business and InnovationEmail: partnerships@lcc.arts.ac.uk