The annual BJ Ball Student Design contest is about fostering creativity, forming connections, careers, and a shared passion for design. It is a cornerstone of BJ Ball’s commitment to nurturing and engaging with educational institutions. And, it serves as a bridge between academia and industry by offering students a unique chance to immerse themselves in the professional world.
Each year BJ Ball chooses a theme suited to the study curriculum. The 2025 theme encouraged design students to reflect on their “Home” – what it looks like, how it feels. The students were challenged to encapsulate their ideas in a 2–5 word phrase about their “home”, and express it visually through typography, colour and original graphics. The contest also required submissions to be print-ready artwork, matched to a suitable BJ Ball paper grade. This allowed students to learn more about commercial print and gain some real-world experience.
Judging “Home”
Our judges for 2025 are all practising graphic designers in Aotearoa. From Auckland there is Laura Cibilich, Tangata Tiriti, RUN. From Wellington, Carlos Constable, One Sunday. And from Christchurch, Craig Brown, Friday Creative. Judging was based on the work’s aesthetic appeal, suitability for offset print, and the appropriateness of the paper stock choice. The judges all agreed,
‘We were very impressed with both the number and quality of entries this year, making the judging particularly challenging.’
Winners received a gift card, as well as having their winning artwork showcased in the 2026 BJ Ball calendar. BJ Ball distributes the calendar to the print and creative industries throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, giving the winning students valuable exposure.
Supporting Emerging Talent
The contest provides Graphic Design students with a real-world canvas to apply their burgeoning design skills. From the moment they receive the initial brief until they hold the final printed product in their hands, students are tasked with crafting a single-page masterpiece. This collaboration between BJ Ball and design institutions of New Zealand celebrates and supports the emerging talent that will shape the future of the design industry in Aotearoa, New Zealand.
The BJ Ball Student Design Contest “Home” 2025 winners are:
January: Real Fruit, Real Summer – Lisa Howde. ARA
February: Made in Muriwai – Nina Waymouth, Whitecliffe
March: It’s all Fun & Games – Ben Comfort, Ara
April: Melancholy Moment – Jayden Yap, Whitireia, Weltec
May: Where Comfort Lies – Xiara Rosette, Whitecliffe
June: Tides May Change – Brant Foesther, Whitireia, Weltec
July: Yummy Colourful Candies – Hikaru Nishikawa, AUT
August: Welcome Home – Hannah Andrew, ARA
September: Bumblebees & Birdsong – Olivia Kaitlyn Blackwell, Whitecliffe
October: Come Home – Juli Molina, ARA
November: Green & Gold – Daniélle Heystek, AUT
December: Made with Love – Claire Lenitua, ARA
An opportunity to presspass
Winners were invited to attend the press pass, Spectrum Print (Christchurch), to see their design come to life in living ink. This was a great opportunity to see the entire print process in action and proved to be an insightful experience. By interacting with the printer, the students were able to appreciate the process and the production times required to produce the finished calendar.
One further nugget of wisdom that surfaced from the winners attending the press pass was the realisation of the difference between artwork as seen on screen versus final printed work, and how physical considerations affect the result. Particularly, the choice of stock, the tactile nature of paper, and how this impacts wet ink and colour.
Left to Right: Clair Lenitua, Ben Comfort, Lisa Howden
Student Design Contest for 2026
The 2026 Student Design Contest is now open. The theme is “Te Taiao o Aotearoa – The Natural World of Aotearoa.” Explore New Zealand’s indigenous flora and fauna through typography and colour. Tertiary Design Institutes have all the details, but you can also check our website for everything you need to know—go to: //gsmmagazine.co/contest
Entries close midnight Monday, 28 September 2026
GSM would like to thank all students and Tertiary Design Institutes who participated in the contest, and our judges for their time and support in making the contest such a success.
