In 2023, Sarah Köster was awarded gold in the photography category of the Art Directors Club (ADC) Talent Award for her Master's thesis. The FH graduate has now taken over the chairmanship of ADC Talents and will represent it as spokesperson on the ADC Board.
This is the first time that ADC Talents has been represented on the club's board. In this way, the ADC aims to involve young creative talents more closely in the design and decision-making processes. The ADC is a professional association that was founded in New York in 1920. ADC Germany has existed since 1964. The aim of the club is not only to represent interests but also to improve creative services and promote young talent. To this end, it organizes competitions and promotes publications and further training.
The ADC Talents was launched in 2022 and offers winners of a so-called golden nail in the ADC Talent Award exclusive access to the club network. They can use the creative expertise of the members for five years. With her seat on the board, Sarah Köster wants to bring the needs of the now 110 young talents more strongly into the ADC. "We have already looked at the challenges faced by young professionals in the creative industries," says Sarah Köster. "We want to make the transition from studying to working easier for them and are planning a platform that serves as a point of contact for all questions relating to starting a career. It's not just about practical tips, but also about orientation. We also want to network universities, students and companies more closely in order to reduce fear of contact."
Gold for final thesis
Sarah Köster graduated from the "Photographic Studies" Master's study program at Fachhochschule Dortmund in 2023. The practical part of her work was a photo book entitled "vague". In it, she shows 106 photographs whose connection to reality is only tenuous and speculative. "The book poses the question of whether it is possible to create something abstract and unconcrete in our real world with the most concrete medium of all, photography, which leaves associations open," says Sarah Köster. She won a gold nail in the ADC Talent Award for this work. The jury described her photo book as a "visually seductive experience that celebrates the power of images".
"Best Master's thesis in Germany" by FH student
"As it was my first ADC submission, I was all the more delighted to be awarded a golden nail straight away. It opened the door to the world of the ADC for me," says Sarah Köster today.
The submission phase for the ADC Talent Award 2025(Opens in a new tab) is currently underway.