Laura Firth from MiniAperture Photography is counting down to take-off for a brand new service. 

Reduce energy and resource use, minimise negative environmental impacts, and contribute to tackling climate change in the city.

It was in early April 2020, that the idea for a children’s picture book character came in to my head and wouldn’t leave. I was listening to an audiobook recently that discussed the possibility that the universe is full of ideas that float around, searching for a human vessel to latch on to who will take the idea and bring it in to the world. I’ve had many, many ideas in the last decade for children’s books, characters, animations, greetings cards, art prints, illustrated products, novels, and multiple possible business ventures, but this idea came to me with clarity and stuck around until I’d got the job done.

After nine years of working as a project manager in the cutting edge world of aerospace & train manufacturing in Derby; I’m ready to swop my laptop for a handful of diamantes and a leotard. Nope this is no joke, I’m seriously ready to quit the corporate world and start my own circus school. Who am I though?

Wednesday 24th February saw us announce the shortlist for the Mainframe Awards 2021, live on our social channels.

Here is the list of the amazing people, companies and projects selected by our judges.

Here at Katapult, we are celebrating the company’s 20th birthday this year. What started as a creative start-up business direct from the University of Derby, is now a specialist themed attraction and experience design agency - our work can be enjoyed at over 80 attractions in 18 different countries around the world.

Just one of the activities we are doing to celebrate our birthday, is to look forward to the next 20 years and inspire future generations of creative minds to consider a career in the leisure and attractions industry.

Justifying the time and energy to enter awards can seem hard, (even if the awards are relatively simple to enter like the those at Mainframe) and success as far as your business is concerned may also look very at the moment thanks to Covid. However, the benefits for you and your business of entering awards, especially in these challenging times, go far beyond having a lovely trophy to display. Whether you win, are shortlisted or just manage to get a submission completed, they are a route to personal and business growth.

We like to think we’ve made the Mainframe Awards as simple to enter as possible, that said we know that any awards application can feel like a challenge! We’ve put this blog together with our top tips for writing an awards entry so you can pen a submission to be proud of.

It was on an evening back in 2012, when I was sitting with my 3-month-old baby daughter in my arms, reading her Eric Carle’s “The Very Hungry Caterpillar”, that I began to wonder what it might take to become an illustrator.

YES…even right now, in the midst of lockdown 3 (sometimes the most irksome of sequels) I am here to tell you that putting yourself and your business forward into the spotlight for an award IS the right thing to do…

Because it's true....