SCION is a modern-thinking brand on the forefront of youth culture and innovation, known for engaging its consumers in an interactive quest for creative ideas. One of SCION’s trademarks is its support of organizations that also seek to connect with children and young adults in expressive, artistic ways.

In its mission to advocate community outreach and foster creativity in the younger generation, SCION now joins forces with Cut&Paste in the FRESHLY SQUEEZED WEB DESIGN CHALLENGE (”Contest”). The website design competition will benefit J.U.i.C.E., a non-profit weekly after-school program that allows the underprivileged youth of Los Angeles to express themselves artistically through dance, music, visual arts, and MC skills workshops.

As J.U.i.C.E. focuses its resources on programming and operations, they need your help: SCION’s new online competition, the FRESHLY SQUEEZED WEB DESIGN CHALLENGE summons all web designers, illustrators, graffiti connoisseurs, coding geniuses, hip-hop enthusiasts, and creatives all around to help J.U.i.C.E. refine their online presence with a brand new homepage design. Web designs submitted for the competition should embody J.U.i.C.E.’s urban aesthetic and youthful spirit, while adding to the site’s functionality as a user-friendly vehicle for communication.

So, help city kids, put $5K in your pocket, and get your work seen. Submit your designs for a new and improved Web site for J.U.i.C.E., a nonprofit hip-hop arts program for LA’s urban youth, and you’ll be entered to win five grand, courtesy of SCION. All entries must be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on April 10, 2009. Visit the site to learn more.

If you didn’t catch this video where Blaise Aguera y Arcas spoke at the TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) Conference in Monterey, California, then go see it now. It’s amazing to see how Seadragon and Photosynth will evolve in the months and years ahead. After you watch the video, head to the Photosynth site to try the latest collections from the team.

The Atlanta Humane Society is accepting Michael Vick t-shirts and jerseys for bedding, chew toys and rags for cleaning up messes. Mutt and Jeff argue over who gets one of those t-shirts above, although there seems to be enough to go around.

To celebrate the end of summer on Monday (Labor Day), I won’t do any labor; so I’ll see you on Wednesday (Tuesday if I get an overload of news in my email box). Have a great weekend!

Photo via: Cute Overload, natch.

At Right: Capetonian Ilze Oberholzer’s competition winning piece symbolising the fight against HIV/AIDS.

World Gold Council and AngloGold Ashanti in association with Tanishq and Rand Refinery today announced the launch of their unique initiative ‘AuDITIONS.’ AuDITIONS is India’s first and only Gold Jewellery Design Competition. The theme for this year’s AuDITIONS is ‘Trendsetting Gold’ which aims to bring about a range of new designs in gold jewellery and ideas with a completely fresh design aesthetic that appeal to the new age Indian woman.

The overall grand prize is 500grams of gold; second prize is 250grams of gold while the third prize is 100grams of gold. The balance 17 shortlisted finalists will be given 20gram gold coins.

Entry is open to all designers (jewellery or any other design disciplines) across India. The closing date for receipt of entries is 15 November 2007. Visit the site to learn more.

Via: Indianinfoline

Avid fashion designers and artists are invited to submit entries to the 2007 Villa Maria Cult-Couture Awards. Garments entered for the awards should demonstrate a unique New Zealand interpretation and explore the limits of haute couture and artistry. Villa Maria encourages originality and innovation from designers, this year’s event has been given a stylish, eye-catching new look.

There is $15,000 in prize money to be won in seven categories, including: Recycled Revolution, Formally Yours, Obviously Organic, Flight of Fantasy, Matrimonial Bliss and On the Streets, plus a new award to recognise creative excellence from Manukau designers.

Entries close on 14 September 2007. The competition is open to anyone 18 years and over. Finished garments must be received by 13 October 2007. Visit the contest website for the entry form.

Via: Talent Speaks

Rochester Institute of Technology announces its second annual Digital Arts, Film and Animation Competition for high school students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. Students with hearing loss in grades 9-12 can compete for cash prizes and an all-expenses-paid trip to Rochester, N.Y., for the awards ceremony and an exhibition of their work.

This national competition recognizes students’ artistic expression with awards in the following categories: Mixed Digital Media, Web Page Design, Graphic Media, 3-D Animation, Film, Interactive Media, Photo Illustration and Free-Hand Art in Digital Form. Film is a new category this year.

Students may submit up to two entries. The submission deadline is 8 October 2007. Entry forms, contest rules and other details are available online.

Krista Nielson, SLCC Fashion Institute student, designed a “fun, flirty and sexy” red patent leather boot called “Krista” for the nationwide Steve Madden Shoe Art + Sole Design Contest. Madden chose a total of five finalists, and Nielson’s boot was one of them.

The online contest votes were really close between Nielson’s design and another competitor’s. The votes had to be recounted. Nielson ended up the runner-up in the Steve Madden Shoe Design Contest.

But Nielson’s boot became so popular that Madden decided to produce it, too. He is also giving Nielson the same prizes as the grand prize winner. The only difference is that she received a $250 shoe gift certificate instead of the $500.

Nielson, 44, is a mother of four kids and four step children. She is currently pursuing a Fashion Institute Certificate. She has been sewing since she was a little girl. Her first time in college, she earned her business degree and she worked in the stock market for 15 years. After retiring from the stock market, she was a stay-at-home mom for five years.

Via: Globe