The New York Festivals’ 2017 Torch Awards is open for entries for creative 18-27.

Torch Awards is part of NYF’s commitment to next generation of creative talent, in which the World’s Best Advertising Jury promotes the mission of an important international nonprofit organisation while it helps young creatives gain skills that will help them elevate their careers.

Each year, the Torch Awards partners with a nonprofit organisation and presents a creative challenge with real-world potential to young creatives around the world. They are given the opportunity to submit their idea for tackling the needs and goals of the nonprofit, in accordance with the brief given. This year’s challenge is the Integrated-Mixed Media Challenge.

This year, NYF partnered with Today, I’m Brave, a registered non-profit that celebrates people performing brave acts every day and everywhere. NYF champions its philosophy that, “No act of bravery should be ridiculed, marginalised, or minimised, which is why no act of bravery is too small or too big for us. Inspiration can come from all walks, all creeds, all deeds, all corners of the Earth, and all of us, individually and collectively.”

 Its purpose is to inspire bravery within individuals and organisations alike by supporting brave initiatives and sharing brave stories from around the world.

Young creatives entering the Integrated-Mixed Media Challenge will develop and pitch an idea for an integrated-mixed media campaign to promote the international release of the Today, I’m Brave book in August 2017. The book contains a variety of stories, videos and pictures of people’s daily courage to face their fears and create great change in their lives.

The grand-winning team will have the chance to develop its idea with Today, I’m Brave and see it go live.

Five finalist teams are chosen from all the submissions received and called to New York City to pitch their campaign idea to a panel of jurors, which includes representatives from the nonprofit.

To help them prepare, each team is paired with a mentor selected from the New York Festivals Jury—some of the most influential leaders in advertising internationally.

Dates to remember:

• The 2017 Torch Awards submission deadline is February 17.
• Finalist teams will be announced on April 3.
• The grand-winning team will be announced and awarded live at the New York Show on May 18 in New York City.

Find out more and enter here.