Zest Wins Best Product Design of the Year at We Are Creative Awards
/Photo: Mr Ladd Media
Zest is celebrating a major win at the inaugural We Are Creative Awards, held on 8th March 2025 at The Eastside Rooms in Birmingham. The company proudly won the prestigious Best Product Design of the Year award for The Zone and was nominated for Theatre Company of the Year, marking a significant achievement for the Lincoln-based team and the young people they support.
The We Are Creative Awards celebrate the Midlands’ creative talent, recognising creatives and organisations that drive growth, nurture diverse talent, and champion innovation. Judged by leading industry figures, including Caroline Norbury OBE, CEO of Creative UK; Skinder Hundal MBE, Director of Arts at British Council; and Ammo Talwar MBE, CEO of Punch Records, the awards highlight the region’s vibrant creative community.
Photo: Mr Ladd Media
Zest was recognised for creating The Zone, a bold and inclusive pop-up space where young people can thrive. The Best Product Design of the Year award celebrated The Zone’s innovative approach, developed in collaboration with AirClad, whose modular structures transformed public spaces into vibrant, welcoming environments where young people can chill, create, and be themselves.
Adam Pownall, Executive Producer at Zest, said:
”Congratulations to all the finalists! It’s incredible to see the strength and talent of the creative sector across the Midlands. Thank you to AirClad for their unwavering support and creativity in helping us bring The Zone to life. Their fast architecture and bold design enabled us to create a truly unique space for young people in Lincoln, showing what’s possible when vision and purpose come together.”
Toby Ealden, Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Zest, added:
“The success of The Zone lies in all the details that create its unique experience. AirClad’s design and Fabric Design Co.’s eye-catching branding give The Zone its distinctive look.
It’s in the warm welcome and creativity of our amazing Youth Arts Workers, the passion of visiting artists who share their skills and stories, and our Core Team’s drive to bring this vision to life. It’s also in the trust of our partners, commissioners, and funders who made it all possible. Every detail contributes to making The Zone a vibrant, welcoming space where young people can connect, create, and thrive.
But most of all, this award belongs to the 1,500 young people across Lincoln whose thoughts and ideas inspired everything that The Zone is. This is for them.”
