Melkweg Award
The Melkweg Award is given annually to a BA student who demonstrates exceptional talent, a unique vision and true originality in their graduation project. Previous winners include Christien Meindertsma and Dave Hakkens.
The shortlist is made up of graduates nominated by the head of each BA Studio and is announced following the final exams at the end of the academic year. The winner is announced during the DAE Graduation Show at Dutch Design Week in October.
Winners receive €2000 and a trophy designed by a DAE alum. They may also be offered mentorship, guidance or support from specific institutions connected to the René Smeets Foundation or DAE.
History
The Melkweg Award was created in 2003, after a change in the board that operates the René Smeets Foundation. This foundation initiated the first regular DAE award in the 1970s in the form of the René Smeets Prize. In 2001, the board was reshaped and expanded to include various well-known and widely respected individuals and businesses working in and around the design field. One of the outcomes was a rethink of the René Smeets Prize, resulting in two different awards. The René Smeets Prize for professionalism and the Melkweg Award for unique vision and talent for BA students.
A third prize was added in 2014, the Gijs Bakker Award, for MA graduates. The René Smeets Foundation still administers the award.
→Read more about the history of the foundation and the awards on the René Smeets Award page
