UK Students take top prizes in Design Against Fur Animation Competition

Friday, January 09, 2009

Mair Perkins, a student at Derby University, was today named as the winner of the first international Design Against Fur 2008 animation competition.  Stewart Comrie, a student at Gray’s School of Art, Aberdeen, was also named as the 3rd placed student in the first ever international Design Against Fur animation competition.  Second place went to Amanda Lasser, a student at Pratt Institute in New York. Their winning work can now be viewed at: http://www.infurmation.com/daf/2008/daf08.php

The competition, that will now run annually, invites students from around the world to participate in a design competition with a conscience, to design a creative, effective animation clip sending an important, compassionate message that the wearing of fur is cruel and unnecessary. 

Mair Perkins will receive a first prize of US Dollars 1000, a certificate, and her work will be promoted on the web. The judging panel included representatives of a leading US based communications firm, Free Range Graphics, specialists in campaign-focused Internet movies for the non-profit sector.

On winning the competition, Mair Perkins, commented: “The animation’s aim is to inform people about fur, and to show them how they can act to help the animals.

“I do not think there are many people who actually think wearing fur is acceptable but it is important to raise awareness about the suffering of animals. I care deeply about this issue and I hope my animation can help in some small way to bring an end to this cruelty.”

Nicki Brooks, Director, Respect for Animals, said: “We are delighted for Mair.  Her film is very effective without being too graphic. It conveys well the message that consumers can make a real difference to the lives of tens of millions of animals killed every year in the name of fashion. The message is clear: don’t buy fur.”

The animation competition complements the well-established international Design Against Fur campaign poster design competition, which has been running for seven years.  The poster competition attracts over 7000 entries from around the world, with four regional heats, held in China, Europe, Russia and UK & Ireland. 

The 2009 competitions have just been launched, with submission deadlines in April 2009, and university-level students are invited to find out more at: http://www.respectforanimals.co.uk/home.php/daf (poster competition) and http://www.infurmation.com/daf/2009/animation.php (animation).
Mair Perkins’ website is at: http://www.mairperkins.co.uk
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