All 2009 graduates from recognised courses anywhere in the UK are eligible to enter (HND, BA or equivalent are all recognised).

1. Entering the graduate showcase and face off
1. Entry is open to individuals working alone.
2. To enter graduates should register at the emerge website (www.e-merge.info) and upload relevant examples of their work.
3. All responses to the face off brief must be the original work of the entrants. Entrants who incorporate any images, writing or other creative material belonging to someone else must obtain the other party’s permission. Entrants may be asked to evidence their ownership of the Response and should keep dated records of all working materials.
4. In order to assist emerge in promoting the work of successful graduates all entrants are asked to provide credits for each entry. These must include:
a. Full names of entrant
b. Contact details of entrant i.e. email address
c. The name of their college or university
5. Entrants who wish their work to be returned to them after the contest must indicate so clearly at the time of entry and, if applicable, pay the necessary return postage charges.
6. The closing deadline for entries to be received by emerge is Tuesday 21 July 2009 at 5.00pm. All entries must be uploaded on to the emerge website to be considered.
7. To enter graduates should register at the emerge website (www.e-merge.info) and upload relevant examples of their work.
8. All responses to the face off brief must be the original work of the entrants. Entrants who incorporate any images, writing or other creative material belonging to someone else must obtain the other party’s permission. Entrants may be asked to evidence their ownership of the Response and should keep dated records of all working materials.

2. Ownership of your Work
1. Entrants retain ownership of their responses to the face off brief.
2. By submitting a response to the face off brief entrants grant to emerge and the relevant sponsor(s) a non-exclusive license for the duration of copyright protection to reproduce or distribute a reproduction of their entry in all media in order to promote, or act as a historical record of, the emerge award or emerge as an organisation or a sponsor’s involvement with the emerge award or as part of any emerge publication (whether on or offline).
3. Entrants agree that, should emerge or a sponsor wish to develop or exploit a poster from the face off contest for commercial purposes, the entrant will enter into negotiations with that sponsor to agree terms for such development or exploitation before negotiating with any other party in relation to the poster. We refer to this as the First Negotiation Agreement. The First Negotiation Agreement will remain in operation from the date of submission of a poster until one week after the award ceremony. Initial contact between entrants and sponsors will be facilitated by emerge only. Entering into a First Negotiation Agreement does not constitute a guarantee that either party will reach a final agreement.
4. emerge advises all entrants to obtain independent legal advice in respect of any agreements being discussed between sponsor and entrant.

3. Judging the Contest
1. emerge will appoint a panel which shall be composed of judges who in emerge’s sole discretion have the appropriate qualifications to judge the work. Responses will be considered in accordance with emerge’s selection criteria. These are:
a. An excellent creative idea; and
b. Excellent craft or execution; and
c. On Brief
2. The panel will be asked to vote on all posters submitted as part of face off. The poster with the most votes will be awarded the emerge award and prize.
3. General feedback will be gathered from the panel and presented to all graduates participating in face off.
4. If emerge is made aware of any concerns that the graduate portfolio or poster do not constitute the original work of the entrant then in the first instance emerge will contact the entrant and will ask for copies of any notes or drawings which evidence the entrant’s assertion to be the creator of the work. emerge will also contact graduate’s tutors for further information. Where possible emerge will consider the evidence gathered and decide whether to allow the graduate to remain within the exhibition or to remove it. emerge’s decision is in its sole discretion and is final.

4. Prizes
1. Prizes to be awarded are as follows:
- Most popular poster in the face off contest – the 2009 emerge award and selection of design books
- Most innovative postcard – a fully paid internship at a London based design agency
2. All graduates participating in the emerge exhibition will be promoted to the creative industry via the emerge exhibition and events, through press releases and any other means deemed appropriate by emerge.
3. Each graduate entering face off will be invited to attend a prize giving ceremony which will take place on the evening of Friday 18 September 2009 at a location of emerge’s choosing. emerge is unable to offer expenses or a contribution towards travel costs.

5. Return of Materials
1. All graduates must be present at the end of the exhibition to collect their work.
2. Any work that has not been collected by 5pm on Monday 28 September will be recycled or destroyed where appropriate.
3. emerge is unable to guarantee the safety of work entered and is unable to accept responsibility for the loss or damage of entries received. emergeD advises all entrants to retain a copy of their work for their portfolio.

6. General Points
1. emerge reserves the right to make changes these rules, if necessary, from time to time.
2. The Rules are subject to English law and any dispute that is not resolved by consultation between the parties shall be referred to the courts of England and Wales.

For any enquiries relating to the 2009 emerge exhibition please contact hello@e-merge.info