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.

Get the answers you need to move your freelance business forward at the first and only conference for the creatively self-employed. Marketing, client retention, proposals, contracts, time management, work/life balance … it’s all covered, by creative-business experts who’ve built successful solo careers themselves. You can bring your portfolio, proposals or marketing materials for a one-on-one business review as well!

This conference is sponsored by HOW and will be held at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago on 27-29 August 2008. Visit the site to learn more about the speakers and schedules.

The character of a neighborhood is a reflection of the people who live there. When people feel connected to a place, they feel more connected to one another. The community becomes an extended family and life more meaningful. Thus, Re:Vision is looking for urban planning approaches where revamped environments bring current residents together, particularly families. This is a chance to repair the essential relationships between social work, nature and urban infill with ideas that value humanistic thinking and imagination over bulldozers. Ponder the kinds of structures and landscapes that typically exist in run-down areas and transform them into eco-wise spaces that make life better. How might you overcome the inevitable resistance to change, and harness the community’s human resources? Introducing eldercare and childcare programs or sustainable landscaping with useable harvests might be just what’s needed. The best plans, no matter their originality or scale, will aim to positively affect neighboring blocks as well.

The Re:Connect registration and entry deadline is Monday June 2nd, 2008. Visit the site to learn more.

DESIGN 21: Social Design Network announced the top three winners of the Power to the Pedal online design competition this week from 222 entries worldwide. The online social design network, which promotes better design for the greater good through its members and non-profit partners, challenged designers to create a new bicycle accessory or add-on for existing bicycles that would improve the cycling experience and promote the use of bicycles as a primary means of transportation. The competition was open for 12 weeks and attracted entries from 41 countries and over 200 designers. Designs were judged by a panel of DESIGN 21 judges based on overall effectiveness, creativity, practicality, aesthetics and how well it responds to environmental concerns. Members of DESIGN 21 were also invited to vote online for their favorite design for the Most Popular award.

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You are invited to investigate the future design of the work environment – this is your opportunity to showcase your creativity to the Australian design community. Now in its second year, Workstation of the Future 2008 is recognized as one of the most exciting design competitions in the country.

Iken in conjunction with various sponsors is offering a unique and exciting opportunity for architects, designers and students to conceive the office of tomorrow. There are great prizes to be won including a D10-day trip to Orgatec, Cologne, a visit to their manufacturer, Gispen, in The Netherlands and a visit to Okamura in Japan.

There are two categories for working professionals and students: Innovation Award and Sustainability Award. The competition will run until 30th June 2008. Visit the site to learn more.

At last, a class created for Mac-based designers ready to learn Adobe Photoshop. In this weekend class, students will work on individual Mac computers in a lab setting. Students will learn Photoshop basics, including simple color correction and photo retouching tips and tricks. We’ll cover color adjustment, layers, color correction, image retouching, filters, and special effects. Learn the difference between low resolution and high resolution, and which is the ideal resolution for your job. Become proficient in Adobe Photoshop in just two days with art director and graphic designer Patricia Ryan (Hachette Filipacchi, American Media, Rodale).

Classes will be held May 31 & Sunday, June 1, 10 am-4 pm. Visit the site to learn more.