Kelsey Thompson, AIFD, the winner of last year’s Sylvia Cup Design Competition, enjoyed that the event tapped into her creativity and created camaraderie among the contestants.
The Sylvia Cup Design Competition, the longest-running live floral competition in the nation, offers designers an opportunity to escape the daily grind and put their creativity to the test.
The 54th annual competition, to be held at SAF Phoenix 2023, the Society of American Florists’ annual convention Sept. 6-9, will challenge contestants to create three arrangements that embody a surprise theme. It is organized by the Professional Floral Communicators-International (PFCI) and sponsored by Smithers-Oasis and Certified American Grown.
“Participating makes you a better designer,” says Kelsey Thompson, AIFD, the winner of last year’s Sylvia Cup. “It forces you to really focus on principles and elements, and to be creative, which is a muscle you need to exercise.”
Need more reasons to enter? Here are five benefits of competing.
1. Embrace a creative challenge. The daily grind of running a floral shop often means replicating designs, monitoring financials, answering phones, and dealing with personnel, Thompson explains. Stepping into a design competition gives you a blocked off time to get lost in creativity. “It is nice to do something for myself, for my own creative soul,” she says.
Adam Havrilla, AIFD, ICPF, PFCI, one of the co-organizers for the competition, echoes Thompson’s sentiments, adding that contestants get to step outside the norm and submerge themselves in “a world where creativity is your customer, your goal, and your driving force for success.”
2. No pre-planning required! Contestants don’t know the theme, materials or surprise item that must be woven into the designs, giving them the opportunity to live in the moment, says co-organizer Michelle Headrick, AIFD, FDI, PFCI. “There’s no opportunity to pre-plan a design, and they don’t really have time to over-think it — just read the design descriptions, analyze their materials, and go,” she says.
3. Work with American-grown cut flowers and foliage, and other unique materials. Sponsors Certified American Grown and Smithers-Oasis supply all the components needed for the designs. While the exact varieties and items are kept under wraps, designers have an array of products at their fingertips that they may not normally get to work with.
“The United States grows flowers and foliage in every state and in a broad palette throughout the year for designers to use their artistry to create beautiful arrangements and pieces,” says Camron King, CEO of Certified American Grown.
4. Earn industry recognition. The winner receives $3,000, sponsored by Smithers-Oasis —and the respect of the industry. Additionally, judges award two runners-up.
“Winning the longest-running, live, national floral design competition carries a lot of prestige, and respect from your peers,” Headrick says. “The competition draws some well-known competitors, certainly, but it’s also a great opportunity for some up-and-coming designers to show their skills and gain some exposure.”
5. Have fun! For Thompson, the competition is also about the camaraderie of the industry. “The energy is so fun,” she recalls. “Everyone is in the prep room, hanging out and chatting and it is a very welcoming group. We all want to do well, but we’re also going to cheer each other on.”
The competition is open to the public and attendees of SAF Phoenix 2023, and the entry deadline is Aug. 7. Register for SAF Phoenix 2023 by Friday to receive the early bird discount.
Sarah Sampson is a contributing writer for the Society of American Florists.
