Laguna College of Art and Design (LCAD) Gives $125,000 in Scholarships to Winners of 2016 Vans Custom Culture Contest

Laguna College of Art and Design (LCAD) will give $125,000 in design scholarships as part of the 2016 Vans Custom Culture Contest. On Tuesday, June 7, 2016, LCAD’s BFA program in Design + Digital Media hosted students from the winning high schools from around the country for a day of immersion in design theory and application.

Student artists from Moanalua High School, Honolulu, HI; Orange High School, Orange, CA; Eastern High School, Louisville, KY; Sandy High School, Sandy, OR; John P Stevens High School, Edison, NJ; and Station Camp High School, Gallatin, TN were selected from more than 2,500 high schools across the country.

"LCAD Design + Digital Media supports high school art and design and we are passionate about students having opportunities to realize high school students’ creative talents. These scholarships reflect our commitment and are exciting extensions of our Vans partnership," said Catharin Eure, chair of LCAD Design + Digital Media. "The vibrant, talented young artists are our program's lifeblood. We're energized by the level of work the contestants submit."

Vans Custom Culture was created to inspire and empower high school students to embrace their creativity through art and design, express their #RightToArt, and to bring attention to diminishing arts education budgets. Vans Custom Culture is a national high school customization competition using four pairs of blank Vans shoes to be customized around four themes: Art, Music, Action Sports, and Local Flavor.

The Action Sports component of LCAD’s Design + Digital Media program has been closely aligned with Vans since 2010. Every fall, VANS collaborates with LCAD in a semester-long honors lab that teaches LCAD Design + Digital Media students the creative process of footwear design and marketing. Vans Honors Lab students tour Vans headquarters with Vans’ Vice President of Events and Promotions and son of the founder, Steve Van Doren and work with Vans art directors to better understand the industry and to develop footwear designs and creative graphic applications.

"LCAD’s BFA program in Design + Digital Media with Action Sports Emphasis is the only degree program of its kind in the world," said Eure. "What makes this program so effective for students, as well as our industry partners, is that it creates a direct pipeline of talent for major brands like Vans. Before they even begin designing their line of shoes, LCAD students first learn the action sports culture. Throughout the Vans Honors Lab coursework, students receive critiques from Vans art directors and hands-on mentoring which translates into high-level industry skill sets and knowledge.”

Currently, three LCAD Design + Digital Media majors are interning with Vans and six LCAD alumni are working for the company. Over a dozen footwear designs by LCAD students who interned at Vans have made it to the retail market and there are more shoes appearing nationally in Vans’ 2016 and 2017 lines.

For more information about LCAD Design + Digital Media curriculum, exhibitions, guest lecturers and more please visit: www.lcad.edu/site/design-digital-media/

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About LCAD Design and Digital Media Program

Laguna College of Art Design and Digital Media program offers a creative, digitally-advanced and professionally-relevant educational experience. All design students receive a comprehensive education in print, 3D, video, motion, and UI/UX design. The reputation of LCAD's Design and Digital Media program has given graduates a competitive edge to gain employment with the world's most recognized brands.

Download a catalog, stay up-to-date on the latest news and events and support LCAD’s Annual Fund: www.lcad.edu, Facebook at @LCADBFA, Twitter @LCAD and Instagram @lcadbfa.

About Vans

Vans®, a VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC) brand, is the original action sports footwear, apparel and accessories brand. Vans authentic collections are sold globally in more than 75 countries through a network of subsidiaries, distributors and international offices. Vans also owns and operates nearly 600 retail locations around the world. The Vans brand promotes the action sports lifestyle, youth culture and creative self-expression through the support of athletes, musicians and artists and through progressive events and platforms such as the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing®, the Vans U.S. Open of Surfing, Vans Pool Party, Vans Custom Culture, Vans Warped Tour®, and Vans’cultural hub and international music venue, the House of Vans.

@vanscustomculture / #righttoart