National Search For Budding Theatre Designers Gets Curtain Up
Linbury Biennial Prize For Stage Design Opens For Entries

08 June, London: Theatre design students and graduates aspiring to see their work exhibited at the National Theatre and win a professional commission are being called to enter the Linbury Biennial Prize for Stage Design, which has opened for entries.

The Linbury Biennial Prize for Stage Design is the only competition of its kind in the UK and provides students and graduates with unparalleled opportunities for success and exposure:

Twelve Finalists:

• Have their work seen and reviewed by the some of the best theatre designers in the country.
• Work with four professional production companies for four months.
• Display their designs at the National Theatre, at which a series of exclusive events will be held and the winners announced.

Four Linbury Winners:

• Receive a commission to design sets and costumes from four professional production companies. (One Linbury Winner per production company).
• Receive a combined total of £50,000 in prize money, design commissions and production sponsorship.
• Join an exclusive group of Linbury Biennial winners that includes: Anthony Ward, designer for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang; Vicki Mortimer designer for Closer and Jumpers for The National Theatre and Tim Hatley an Olivier and Tony Award winner, whose work includes Private Lives and the Monty Python musical Spamalot currently on Broadway.

From the four Linbury Biennial Winners one will be recognised as the Overall Winner, The Linbury Biennial Prize for Stage Design 2005.

The Linbury Biennial is open to final year or recently graduated theatre design students. Application forms and further information can be found at the Linbury Biennial website: www.linburybiennial.org.uk or by calling competition management Kallaway Ltd on 020 7221 7883.

Portfolios must be with Kallaway Ltd at 2 Portland Road, Holland Park, W11 4LA, by 30 June 2005.

Twelve finalists will work with four commissioning companies from July to November 2005 and their designs exhibited at the Linbury Exhibition at The National Theatre in November 2005. The 2005 Linbury Biennial commissioning companies are:

• Bristol Old Vic
• Gate Theatre, Notting Hill
• Nottingham Playhouse
• Random Dance

Portfolios and designs are judged by some of the UK's most respected theatre designers, artistic directors and actors. Previous judges have included, Tom Cairns, John Macfarlane, Dame Judi Dench and Lez Brotherstone. Judges for the 2005 Linbury Biennial will be announced shortly.

Lady Anya Sainsbury CBE, Linbury founder and chair of the Linbury Committee said: "Every year stage design increases in daring, sophistication and importance in keeping theatre at the cutting edge. The Linbury Biennial directly contributes to this evolution by identifying the best emerging designers and providing a national platform to have their work seen and commissioned."

End

High-resolution Pictures
Pictures of the four winning set designs and commissioning company productions from the 2003 Linbury Biennial Prize for Stage Design can be downloaded for your use.
View and download images at: http://www.kallaway.co.uk/linbury_picture_library.htm

Linbury Press And Competition Information
Anna Cusden (media) anna.cusden@kallaway.co.uk020 7221 7883
David Nagle (competition) david.nagle@kallaway.co.uk020 7221 7883

Notes To Editors
The Linbury Biennial Prize for Stage Design was founded by Lady Anya Sainsbury CBE in 1987. The Prize is open to Final year or recently graduated theatre design students and attracts entrants from across the UK. Twelve finalists get the chance to work with four professional performing arts production companies and exhibit their work at the National Theatre. Four of the 12 win a commission to realise their designs with the commissioning companies and one student is awarded the overall winner's title. The Linbury Biennial Prize for Stage Design is sponsored by the Linbury Trust, one of the Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts.

Lady Anya Sainsbury CBE, Chair of the Linbury Biennial Committee.
Lady Sainsbury had a distinguished career as Anya Linden with the Royal Ballet Company from 1951 to 1965, becoming a ballerina in 1958. After retiring from the company, she studied stage design at the Slade School of Art. She has continued to be actively involved in the Royal Ballet School and the Rambert School, both as a teacher and on their governing bodies. The Linbury Biennial Prize for Stage Design was founded by Lady Anya Sainsbury CBE in 1987.

About the Linbury Trust
The Linbury Trust is a charitable trust established by Lord Sainsbury of Preston Candover KG, and his wife, Lady Anya Sainsbury, CBE. Trustees of the Linbury Trust make grants to organisations and towards causes across a broad range of categories. These range from the arts, education, social welfare, drug abuse to environment, and developing countries. Trustees give priority to causes in which they have a particular interest and where they have particular knowledge and experience, as exemplified by their support for the Linbury Biennial Prize for Stage Design.