The Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) is striving to promote the advancement of Macao's fashion design industry and thus specially launches the 2013 Subsidy Programme for Fashion Design on Sample Making, open for applications from mid-June to all Macao fashion designers. Selected finalists will have access to subsidies, up to a maximum of MOP150,000 each. The objective of the programme is to kick start the production of fashion design samples and promotional catalogues, prompting local designers to explore commercial activities and to take part in international fashion shows and marketing, in a bid to enhance Macao's fashion design standards while popularizing and promoting local creations. Applicants can apply on an individual or team (max. two persons) basis, must have a valid Macao SAR Resident Identity Card and be 18 years of age or older. The selection is divided into two stages: initial review and second review. For the initial review, applicants are asked to submit fashion design drawings of their unpublished, original fashion design works and the filled application, including information about marketing plan and relevant expenditure budgeting. A jury will pre-select a maximum of 15 entries into the second review, based on six criteria: creativity and originality, market potential, quality, overall visual effects, optimization of the marketing plan and budgeting rationale. Applicants chosen for the second review will be granted an allowance to produce a fashion sample (just one outfit from the proposed collection) based on the drawings submitted for the initial review, and have it showcased to the jury by a model of their choice. Upon completion of the second review, the jury will select, using the same criteria, a maximum of eight applicants eligible for subsidies up to a maximum of MOP150,000.00 each.
Call for entries starts June 17 and runs until August 16. Applications should be delivered to: Cultural Affairs Bureau - The Department for the Promotion of Cultural and Creative Industries, Av. da Praia Grande Nº 567, Edif. BNU, 12º andar A-D, Macau. The Programme's application rules & regulations can be downloaded from www.icm.gov.mo or www.macaucci.com. For further enquiries, please contact Ms. Lam or Ms. Lau on (853) 2892 4040, during office hours.
