The 2020 round of state-based Printing Industry Creativity Awards will go ahead despite the coronavirus pandemic but will instead be broadcast live online with the National Print Awards postponed.
Print and Visual Communication Association chief executive officer Andrew Macaulay said we as a country are facing times of unprecedented uncertainty and as such this was the best and only path to ensure the beautiful print creations that have been submitted will have the opportunity to be judged as intended while preserving the health and safety of all involved.
Each item will be judged by the international panel of judges but from their respective locations.
“This is a response to ensure that people who have made beautiful and technically wonderful material for entry in the national awards programme can continue to promote their business using the awards programme,” Macaulay told Sprinter.
“At the end of it we will provide each printer with video footage that they can use in online promotions. They will receive their certificate and when we come out of the end of this COVID-19 shutdown there will be an industry celebration programme of dinners and cocktail parties in lieu of the PICAs and the National Print Awards.
“Hopefully by the time of the Print2Parliament later this year we will be back in relatively normal operations.
“Your health and safety comes first so please concentrate now on caring for yourselves and for those around you.
“Clearly this was not a course of action we hoped to take but following the advice of government officials – and in times of such unprecedented uncertainty – this is now our only viable option.”
Macaulay said in some ways the virtual presentation via would also help businesses promote themselves online as through this they will have access to high quality footage that they can upload to websites and distribute through marketing channels.
PVCA events manager Jacobena Mills will host the virtual live in-studio events which will also be joined virtually by familiar faces of the assocation. A live broadcast event will take place for every state.
Ticket sales have now ceased and refunds will be available for ticket holders from the point of purchase.
Virtual PICA dates are as follows:
South Australia – 24th April 6:30pm – Viewing link to be provided
Queensland – 30th April 7:30pm – Viewing link to be provided
Victoria – 15th May 6:30pm – Viewing link to be provided
New South Wales – 22nd May 6:30pm – Viewing link to be provided
Western Australia – 30th May 6:30pm – Viewing link to be provided
National Print Awards (Sydney, New South Wales) – Date TBA
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