YCN, more than just student awards

YCN

A former student and now employee of YCN came in to talk about the company its competitions and how we can get involved. Alex, although not the most inspired speaker in the world, did give us an insight into a company that has grown into much more than just student awards! The annual YCN student awards book will expand to reflect this and will include the other areas YCN gets involved in.

YCN also have an agency branch, whereby companies will come to YCN with a specific project, encouraged by their ability for attracting so much talent. They have a small in house team that can provide graphic design and art direction or who will bring in those most suitable that are connected to YCN to do the job for them! (they can bring people in to do the work without asking the client, as it is all coordinated under the YCN name). They have varying degrees of involvement on jobs.

YCN also acts as an illustration agency, rather than your typical roster style, the company has a more open policy, whereby they showcase work on their website and say ‘if you would like to commission so and so to work for you then contact YCN’. As an agency they’re not obliged to find the illustrator work but the illustrator is equally not obliged to solely work for YCN.  

On top of all this YCN have an open door policy on their headquarters in London, the bottom floor of which is a public space for reading with free lending of inspirational books, exhibitions and guests are regularly asked to present their 5 favorite books.

They also run The Eureka programme which is a 6 week internship for a team of students to come and work at YCN.

So all in all, a company that is actually looking beyond the somewhat narrow nature of awards and are beginning to be a rather accessible resource for young emerging talent. I will certainly keep a visit to their London pad in mind!