Applications opened last week for AWARD School 2026, with the 12-week part-time program set to run from March to July.
Last year’s Print winner, Tilly Grinling gained a new found confidence and it has helped her in her career.
Is this something you want to achieve? Well, today’s your lucky day as the course is open to anyone with a strong interest in creativity and ideas, from marketers, creatives and account managers to designers and career switchers, and includes weekly lectures and tutorials led by local and international creatives.
Students respond to a series of practical briefs across multiple mediums, developing creative thinking and problem-solving skills that are essential for commercial work.
But you might wonder, what does this work actually look like?
As part of B&T’s ongoing support of AWARD School, below you’ll see some of the top work and quotes from students behind the work in the Print category. In the coming days, we’ll be looking at the work from the Film/TVC, Audio, and Social categories.
Applications close on 19 February 2026. AWARD School 2026 is supported by Meta, Outdoor Media Association, Commercial Radio & Audio and, as we mentioned, B&T.
Brief 2 – Print
- What they had to sell: Elixir, Australia’s first complete alcohol replacement for social drinking.
- How: A print campaign (3 ads).
- The proposition: All upside, no downside.
- Target audience: Young and young at heart, socially active, health-conscious Australians.
- Mandatories: Logo and/or clearly branded web product image.
Tilly Grinling, 1st Place Sydney, ‘Everyone’s Invited’
On the inspiration behind the piece, she said the idea emerged from an everyday conversation.
“It started when I was talking through the brief with a lovely friend of mine who was very pregnant,” Grinling said. “She said something like, ‘That would be great right now, I’m gagging for a drink.’ That moment unlocked the idea.”
She went on to explain how the concept came from flipping expectations.
“It was about putting the least expected people right in the middle of the party,” she expressed. “They’re having just as much fun without any of the downsides.”
On the feeling she wanted the work to create, Grinling said inclusivity was central to the idea.
“I wanted it to feel inviting, inclusive and pressure-free,” she said. “Like the party just got bigger and better, and no matter who you are, you’re going to have a wicked time.”
Reflecting on her time at AWARD School, Grinling revealed the biggest takeaway was confidence in her own process.
“I walked away with a creative process I really trust, and a job I love and look forward to every day at Rick Barry, which still feels surreal. Not many people get to say that, and I have AWARD School to thank,” she said.
Robert Nowland, 2nd place WA, ‘Cut the ugly bit’.
