The Josep Albert Mestre Awards for excellence in the teaching of Visual Arts and Design, convened by the Confederation of Visual Arts and Design Schools, annually recognize the best final works of Professional Artistic Education and Higher Artistic Education throughout the Spanish State. The VII Edition, corresponding to 2018, was organized by the Antonio Faílde School of Art and Design, as a student of the School, Ledicia Veloso, won the first prize in the previous edition held in Tenerife.

In this edition, EASD Antonio Faílde appointed an exceptional jury, composed of Galician designers of internationally recognized prestige and with experience in projects of an interdisciplinary nature, which transcends that of their own specialty; Pepe Barro, graphic designer, Sara Coleman, fashion designer, Arturo Álvarez, product designer and Juan Rodriguez, photographer. On April 20, a lecture was held with the members of the jury under the theme Project Interdisciplinarity, in which various aspects of interdisciplinary transversality were discussed according to the experience of the speakers themselves and a dialogue with the audience on the dialectic between art and design, the management of multidisciplinary teams, etc...

More than 180 projects from art and design schools throughout Spain were submitted to this competition. Following the bases, a selection of 40 proposals was made proportional to the proposals presented; 4 of training cycles of medium level, 24 of training cycles of higher level and 12 of higher artistic education. These 40 works are part of an exhibition that will remain at the EASD Antonio Faílde headquarters from May 4 to October 30, 2018. The jury unanimously voted for the following prizes; First Prize in the category of medium-level training cycles, Vertebrae by José Luis Alés Bueno from the San Telmo School of Art in Málaga, First Prize in the category of Higher-Grade Training Cycles, Les Pauls, by Martí Pujol Bonastre from EASD Serra i Abella de l'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Mention of Honor for Higher Artistic Education, Easy-Tap by Mónica Nájera Soroche, EASD de La Rioja, Logroño and First Prize in the same category for Earthink by Andrés Ramírez from EASD de les Illes Balears de Palma de Mallorca.

On May 4, the exhibition was inaugurated by the General Director of Centers and Human Resources of the Department of Culture, Education and University Planning of the Xunta de Galicia, José Manuel Pinal and the President of the Confederation of Plastic Arts and Design Schools, Eugenio Vega Then began the awards gala presented and conducted by the actor and theater director Quico Cadaval and the performance of the jazz group Alfonso Medela Trio.

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Master Awards 2018

Coordination: Xosé Manoel González

Jury: Xosé Barro, Juan Rodríguez, Sara Coleman, Arturo Álvarez

Scenography: Lucía Rodríguez, Manuel Seoane and Javier Fernández,

Exhibition: Manuel Seoane, César Taboada, Javier Fernández and Xosé Manoel González

Collaborators: Olalla Sío, Ofelia Cardo, Marisol Rodríguez, Armando García, Tonho Ferreiro, Josetxo Fernández, José Luis Casas and Virginia Barros,

Communication: Olalla Sío

Graphic design: Eugenio Vega and Xosé Manoel González

Motion Graphics and audiovisuals: Olalla Ferrando

Gala music: Alfonso Medela Trio

Gala presenter: Quico CadavalFotografía, Agosiño Iglesias and Carmen Fernández

Printing: Rodi, Oficode and Aceroplus

Sound and lighting: Sonorde SL