Accolade for teenage designer

University Campus Suffolk’s Billy Fenton has been shortlisted by Penguin Random House for its prestigious annual Design Award. The 2014 Penguin Random House Design Award, which comprises the Penguin Adult Prize and Puffin Children’s Prize, received more than 1,100 entries from aspiring designers across the UK.

Billy, 18, who lives in Clacton-on-Sea and is studying BA (Hons) Graphic Design, is one of just 10 students from across the UK a who made the Adult Prize shortlist. His place on the shortlist puts him in the running to win a £1,000 cash prize and a design placement with the UK’s biggest book publisher.

Now in its seventh year, the Design Award offers students on an Art or Design course at HND or degree level, exposure and guidance from some of the publishing industry’s leading lights with the challenge to design a cover for a selected adult or children’s book. Penguin Art Directors give shortlisted entrants feedback and further art direction on their cover submissions and invite them to resubmit their work by 19 May, taking all the comments on board, before the final round of judging.

Billy took on the challenge of designing Jonathan Coe’s contemporary classic What A Carve Up and will be judged by artist Rob Ryan, renowned chef and cookery author Jamie Oliver, artist Petra Börner and Penguin’s in-house experts Joanna Prior, Jim Stoddart and John Hamilton.

The winner will be announced on Wednesday 18 June 18.

Billy said: “I heard about the award through social media and decided to enter as I sensed an opportunity to gain some experience. The feeling of being shortlisted was great and it gave me a real sense of achievement.”