NEWS RELEASE 9th February 2005 Bridging the Art Science divide February 9th is the launch date for the 2005 Novartis and The Daily Telegraph Visions of Science Photographic Awards supported by the Science Photo Library. This year introduces a new Special Award Art meets Science - an idea developed in conjunction with the Science Photo Library - aimed at encouraging visual artists, whose work has been inspired by science or medicine, to enter. Although the entries will need to be submitted and judged as a photographic image, the original artwork itself may be a painting, sculpture, installation or indeed a photograph. Professor Sir Christopher Frayling, Rector of the Royal College of Art, has been invited onto the panel of judges to support this new award. The Art meets Science Award is sponsored by the Science Learning Centres. Above left: Eye and moon composite DAVID PARKER Above right: Armchair botanist HEATHER BARNETT Maria Storey, Sales and Marketing Director of Science Photo Library, says: "For many years the Science Photo Library has been encouraging the wider artistic appreciation of scientific imagery. The new Art Meets Science award allows us to further develop the Art-Science link, by encouraging artists who use science and scientific imagery as inspiration or source material to create their own artworks." The five popular main Categories remain as in previous years: Action   Images should capture a scientific process or event as it happens in the natural world. Close-up   Images that are beyond the naked eye. People   Images should communicate the impact of science, medicine and technology on people's lives. Concepts   Images should demonstrate or explain a scientific concept. Art   This category is for images that illustrate the beauty of science. There is also a special Einstein Year Award for 2005 only, seeking contemporary physics images, to coincide with this year's celebrations of the centenary of Einstein's greatest discoveries. Einstein Year Award is sponsored by the Institute of Physics. The Medicine and Life Award, sponsored by the British Medical Journal, and the Young Photographers Awards, sponsored by Kodak, are also being run this year. Winners of the main Categories will be awarded first prizes of £1,000 and second prizes of £400, sponsored by the Science Photo Library. Each of the special Award winners will receive £500. Winning images form a touring exhibition visiting science and arts venues across the UK. Information on how to enter and entry forms will be available on the web site from 9th February at www.visions-of-science.co.uk or call 020 7613 5577. The closing date for entries is 6 May 2005. Photographs taken on or after 1 January 2000 are eligible for entry and up to 6 images may be entered in each category or special award. This is the sixth year that Novartis Pharmaceuticals has organised Visions of Science in association with The Daily Telegraph as part of the company's ongoing support for science education in the UK. The category prize money of £7,000 and additional support comes from the Science Photo Library. Editors' notes: 1.  The main sponsor is Novartis AG, a world leader in pharmaceuticals and consumer health www.novartis.com 2.  The Daily Telegraph is the media sponsor www.telegraph.co.uk 3.  Prize money in the five main categories is donated by the Science Photo Library www.sciencephoto.com 4.  The Special Awards are sponsored by: Art meets Science  Science Learning Centres www.sciencelearningcentres.org.uk Einstein Year Award  Institute of Physics www.einsteinyear.org Medicine and Life  British Medical Journal www.bmj.com Young Photographer Award  Kodak Ltd www.kodak.com 5.  Visions of Science judges this year include: Bob Bodman  Picture Editor, The Daily Telegraph Professor Raymond Clark  The Royal Photographic Society Tony Delamothe  Deputy Editor, British Medical Journal Nic Fleming  Science Correspondent, The Daily Telegraph Professor Sir Christopher Frayling  Rector, The Royal College of Art Adam Goff  Picture Editor, New Scientist Dr JJ Harris  Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK Ltd Dr Adam Hart-Davis  Photographer and TV Science Presenter Sandra Lousada  Association of Photographers Dr Mark Lythgoe  Neurophysiologist, University College London Dr Simon Singh  Scientist, Journalist and Broadcaster, NESTA Trustee For more information and photographs contact Reena Shah, Marketing Executive, Science Photo Library, 327-329 Harrow Road, London W9 3RB. Tel: 020 7432 1100, Fax: 020 7286 8668, reena.shah@sciencephoto.com back to Press Releases