EOSC logo competition application

EOSC Logo Competition

Design the new logo of the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) and win €5 000

This is your opportunity to shape the visual identity of EOSC – the web of research data. Take part in the EOSC logo competition and create a new style for the European Open Science Cloud that supports cutting-edge research by providing data, tools and services.

Until 25 February 2022, the EOSC Association is accepting proposals for a logo that can be used across mediums, including, but not limited to, websites, social media and print materials. Eligible submissions will be first judged by a jury of renowned designers and EOSC experts. In a second step, shortlisted submissions will then be put to a vote by the broader EOSC community. The winner will be awarded a prize of €5 000 and will get the chance to present their work at the next EOSC Symposium, which brings together experts from across Europe.

Who can apply?

You can take part in the competition if you are a student or recent graduate (graduated in 2021) who

• was born no earlier than 1991
• is/ was enrolled for a bachelor or master’s degree in graphic design or a related topic
• is completing/completed a degree in Albania, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Morocco, Norway, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.

About EOSC

As the world changes, research does too. The logo should capture EOSC’s mission of supporting the digital transformation of research.

Over the past decades, some trends have dramatically changed research. Academic research increasingly now involves very large datasets. That includes genomics data, telescope observations, but also high-res infrared scans of paintings or carbon dating results for historical artefacts. Opening up research results (data, publications, software) has become one of the most powerful instruments to share knowledge and to allow it to be used by other researchers or as inputs for artificial.

Europe wants to help researchers lead this transformation of research.EOSC is the answer. It will provide an environment where European researchers from different scientific disciplines and countries can work together in a more efficient way. This web of research data and services will make research more innovative and more efficient.

Why a new logo?

The current visual identity of EOSC is represented by the logo below:

This logo was perfect to launch the EOSC initiative in 2018 when it was important to make the scientific community familiar with the meaning of the EOSC acronym “European Open Science Cloud.” It also showed that EOSC was fully supported by the European Commission. At that time, representing the initiative with a visual design of a cloud was important.

Three years later, the needs have changed:

• Because EOSC is now a recognised brand, the new logo does not have to display the full name (we prefer a stylised representation of the abbreviation “EOSC”, not ‘European Science Cloud’ written out in full)
• The cloud visual element is now considered too ambiguous. The cloud is “the” driving visual element for all the cloud computing initiatives, but EOSC is not only about cloud computing
• The research community is aware that EOSC is a European initiative, so the stars are not necessary anymore.

The logo should:

• use max. 2 colours, if needed  in addition to white and/or black.
• be flexible enough to use in multiple sizes and formats across different digital and print mediums.
• be easy to resize and adapt. So, we prefer a horizontal logo layout with dimensions that are adapted for website banners and headers. If you wish to submit a vertical logo, you should also submit a horizontal adaptation of the logo.
• be adapted for use in  grayscale and on light and dark backgrounds. You can submit the logo in different colours for light and dark backgrounds if you feel this is appropriate.

The rest is up to you!

Technical design specifications

The main colours of the logo should pass the WCAG’s AA-level contrast test for graphical objects and user interface components. One of the main colours as a background colour and black as the main colour should also pass the AAA-level test for small and large text. Logo compliance can be checked using any of the following sites:

• https://webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker
• https://contrastchecker.com
• https://accessibleweb.com/color-contrast-checker

The logo or parts of it will also be used by projects and organisations around EOSC to create visual cohesion across initiatives. That is why we would also like you to submit a proposal for a “co-branded” logo template that allows the name of another project to be integrated within the new logo or combined with elements of the logo.

Intellectual property

You can only submit a logo that is your original work and is not derivative in nature (including from your own work). Your submission can’t violate the intellectual property rights of another individual or entity.
You must unconditionally and irrevocably agree that every part of your submission, should it be shortlisted, becomes the exclusive property of the EOSC Association and can be used for any EOSC activities in any medium, by the EOSC Association and projects related to EOSC.
The EOSC Association retains the right to modify a submission.
If you win the competition and your entry is found to have violated any of the stipulations above, you will be required to forfeit or return the prize money in full within 15 working days of notification of the infraction and will be held liable for any fines or court cost incurred.

Submission process

You can submit 1 logo proposal until 25 February 2022, 23.59 CET by completing the online submission form.
Proposals must be submitted as a PDF and include the following:

RBG images of the logo:

1. in colour on white
2. in colour on two of the branded colours
3. in grayscale on white
4. in grayscale on black.

a branded colour palette (with 2 main colours and 4 support colours, in addition to white and black) in CMYK, RBG and hex. RBG images of a co-branded project logo:

1. in colour on white
2. in colour on two of the branded colours
3. in grayscale on white
4. in grayscale on black.

RBG images of a co-branded project logo. Please consider “Project name” as the name of the initiative/projects that needs to be co-branded to EOSC):

1. in colour on white
2. in colour on two of the branded colours
3. in grayscale on white
4. in grayscale on black.

Please note that the above elements must be submitted on a  white background as separate PNGs as well.

No later than 5 working days following the notification, the winning logo will have to be submitted in a scalable vector format (EPS or SVG), retaining transparency and with all text as outlines. The logo and all assets (e.g. fonts) need to be packaged correctly for delivery and easily editable.

Competition procedure and prize

A jury of professional designers and EOSC experts will shortlist 3 logos. Shortlisted applicants will be informed by 31 March 2022.
The EOSC community will then vote to select the winning logo. The winner of the competition will be informed no later than 6 May 2022.
The winning entrant will be awarded €5 000 no later than 15 working days after they correctly submit the vectorial format of their proposed logo. In addition, the winner will be invited to present their logo at the next EOSC Symposium (with costs for accommodation and a flight and train ticket from a European departure point covered by the competition organisers).
If no logos meet the content or quality requirements, or no consensus can be reached, the EOSC Association reserves the right not to select a logo and to not award a prize.

Get ready! Application will open in January 2022

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