Cohesion policy sounds like a complicated bureaucratic term from Brussels—something distant and hard to understand. But in reality, it means very concrete things: renovated schools, new bike lanes, safer roads, care for vulnerable groups, revitalized city centers, better access to healthcare services, support for businesses, protection of nature and endangered animal species… This is what cohesion really means.

To bring the “invisible” face of cohesion closer to people, CNVOS, in cooperation with the TAM-TAM Institute, is launching Plaktivat – a contest for designing socially responsible posters.

Cohesion – a face we often overlook

For many people, cohesion policy is invisible or misunderstood – perceived as a bureaucratic concept, distant and disconnected from their everyday lives. The public does not realize that many improvements in their environment actually come from this policy.

European cohesion policy provides financial support to less developed areas within the EU to help their development. Its main task is to reduce disparities between different regions so that people across all EU countries, regardless of where they live, have access to similar opportunities for a better life. In Slovenia, over 10,000 projects have been implemented so far with the help of cohesion policy. These projects are not just numbers on paper – they represent tangible changes in our communities.

Cohesion policy is therefore much more than just a bureaucratic term – it affects how we commute safely to work on improved roads, drink clean water from renovated water supply systems, visit renovated cultural centers for exhibitions or concerts after work, enjoy new cycling paths, or relax in well-maintained parks. These are the faces of cohesion that we often overlook, but which we feel in a better quality of life.

We challenge creatives:

How can cohesion policy be portrayed as something simple, accessible, and close – as something that positively impacts our daily lives, even though we often do not notice it?

More information about the content is in the Creative Brief included in the contest documentation.

Who can participate?

The competition is open to all graphic designers, including individuals, freelance designers, students, high school students, agencies, and legal entities who wish to contribute to creating a shared living space (hereinafter: applicant).

The applicant must be over 18 years of age and meet the participation requirements outlined in these terms. If minors participate in a group, it is assumed that their legal representative consents to their participation. Employees of the organizers and other persons associated with the execution of the competition, including their immediate family members, may not participate.

Participation in the competition is free of charge.

By submitting the application documentation, you agree to all terms and conditions of the competition, including those explicitly stated in the call and those that may be inferred.

The competition terms and conditions are published in the competition documentation. 

Prizes 

All submitted works that meet the contest conditions will be evaluated for the shortlist and for prizes.

  • The first prize winner will receive a monetary award of €1,000.00 (gross) and their work will be displayed on 150 TAM-TAM poster locations across Slovenia, from July 7, 2025 onwards.
  • The second prize winner will receive a monetary award of €500.00 (gross).
  • The third prize winner will receive a monetary award of €300.00 (gross).

The results and all entries selected for the competition will be published at June 26, 2025 on the website of CNVOS and in the organizer's e-communications.

The cash prize, in its gross amount, is awarded as a lump sum, regardless of the number of authors of the winning work. Any additional tax obligations, costs, or other responsibilities related to receiving the prize are the responsibility of the winner. If the jury selects multiple winning works, the prize fund will be equally divided. The prize is non-exchangeable and non-transferable to another person. A winner who does not provide the required payment details within three months of notification forfeits the right to the prize. The prize fund is not transferred to other finalists.

Jury

A five-member expert jury will evaluate all works that meet the competition criteria. The jury members are:

  • Luka Bajs, Executive Creative Director, Shift, Chair of the Jury
  • Martina Kokovnik, Graphic Designer
  • Ajdin Bašić, Graphic Designer
  • Aleksandra Pavlič, Communications Specialist, CNVOS
  • Bor Klemen Mencin, Independent Creative

Application Documentation

Applications must be submitted exclusively via the online application form, which serves as the entry point for all participants in the "European Cohesion Policy" competition.

Instructions for preparing the files can be found in the attachment Graphic Elements and File Preparation Instructions, which is part of the competiton documentation.

Competition dates 

  • May 20, 2025: Competition announcement
  • June 13, 2025: Submission deadline
  • June 26, 2025: Winner and finalists announced
  • From July 7, 2025 onwards: Winning poster displayed across Slovenia
  • July 4 – August 7, 2025: Exhibition of winners and finalists at the TAM-TAM Poster Gallery Figovec

Competition documentation