Global initiative to foster creativity and innovation
Dear friends,
we are happy to present you the finalists of our #BeOpenDesignDetails open call. They have been chosen by the BE OPEN Community jury from the submissions with the highest ratings of likes by Instagram users. The challenge was dedicated to the details and to the ways in which the most customary, little things around us mend and blend into our designs.
BE OPEN, a creative think tank founded by the international entrepreneur and philanthropist Elena Baturina, is launching its next global open call for visual responses that address the creative ability to change the way we see the usual world around us.
The open call named #BeOpenDesignDetails aims to explore the way creative approach may transform the small into great. It is open for submissions from April 4 to May 10 2017.
The number of schools signing up to participate in the astronomical educational project ‘Discovery in a Week’, developed by Russian humanitarian foundation ‘Noosphere’ in cooperation with the Mayor’s Fund for London is increasing, and till the end of the year the number of schools involved will exceed 20.
At the moment, children from six London schools – Hammersmith, Forest Gate Community School, Sanders, Mount Carmel, Lister Community College, UCL Academy – are not only enhancing their theoretical knowledge, but also making real astronomic discoveries by analysing pictures produced by a powerful telescope in Australia.
The BE OPEN Foundation is happy to announce the winner of its first ever video open-call BE OPEN DESIGN NATURE. The open-call – held from 7 November to 20 December – aimed to address the creative transformation of the world around us, by exploring the interconnection between design and nature in the most general sense.
More than a hundred videos were posted to BEOPEN’s Instagram page over the course of the project, submitted by creative people from 23 countries around the world. The participants were asked to examine and visualise the ways in which design and nature can intertwine, complement and supplement each other, create opposition or harmony, or even make the perfect match.
There are now stars named after London schoolchildren thanks to the ‘Discovery in a Week’ astronomy initiative, made possible by The Mayor’s Fund for London and Elena Baturina’s charitable foundation.
The four new stars, discovered by pupils at the Hammersmith Academy as part of the educational initiative ‘Discovery in a Week’, have now officially been named after their discoverers: Reynolds V1, Hamed V1, Mousa V1 and Mousa V2.
The BE OPEN foundation has released the latest issue of its Ranking of Educational Programs dealing with Architecture and Design. The prestigious Ranking helps applicants choose where to study and influences employers who are looking for the future stars of Architecture and Design. This year’s research focuses on the regions of Africa and North America and follows last year’s ranking, which was dedicated to the educational programs of South America and Asia.
Demand for a major new cultural initiative, launched by the Mayor, Sadiq Khan in September, and supported by BE OPEN foundation, has exceeded initial expectations with 20% more primary schools registering to take part than expected.
240 primary schools from across the capital have already registered for the London Curriculum, which is designed to bring their learning to life by using London as a giant classroom. This follows the highly successful pilot programme where teachers particularly liked the ability for pupils to explore an issue outside the classroom in their local area, as well as the rest of London. More new London Curriculum classroom and on-line materials will be released free of charge to primary schools in early 2017.
Pupils at the Hammersmith Academy and the UCL Academy looked to the stars by taking part in educational initiative ‘Discovery in a Week’. The initiative brought together PHD astronomy students from University College London with pupils from these two London secondary schools during the summer term.
The young astronomers enhanced their theoretical knowledge and made real astronomic discoveries by finding and registering stars with an international index. The programme was made possible thanks to the Russian philanthropic foundation ‘Noosphere’ in partnership with the Mayor’s Fund for London, and with support from the BE OPEN foundation.
BE OPEN is launching its next global open call for visual responses that address the interrelation between design and nature. Entries will explore the creative transformation of the world around us, as it interacts with nature in the most general sense. The aim is to examine the ways in which design and nature can intertwine, complement and supplement each other, create opposition or harmony, or even make the perfect match.
BE OPEN’s official partner for this project is the Herbarium bar in Austria. Herbarium has pledged EUR 1,000 in prize money, to be awarded to the winner of the open call.
London primary schools to have culture lessons
Teaching Personnel
October 4, 2016
Queensbridge Primary School pupils to trial Sadiq Khan’s London Curriculum
Hackney Gazette
October 3, 2016
London Curriculum Festival
Totally Thames
September 30, 2016
