Time + Space Award
Do you have a world-changing idea? If you’re aged 16–25, the National Trust want to hear your big idea and give you the chance to bring it to life at Sir Isaac Newton’s home, where he discovered gravity.
Many great people have shaped the world we know today. Isaac Newton made discoveries in the fields of calculus and gravity, Beatrix Potter shared her passion for nature with stories such as Peter Rabbit and Paul McCartney made music with three other teenagers who went on to become The Beatles. These people, along with many others, lived in or loved the places that the National Trust now look after.
They all lived in separate eras and had individual passions, but one thing they had in common was that each of them had the time and space when they were young to explore their work and make things happen.
What is the Time + Space Award?
The Time + Space Award has been inspired by what Newton called his ‘year of wonders’. At the age of 23, Newton was forced to leave university and return home to Woolsthorpe Manor in Lincolnshire, a farmhouse the National Trust care for, because of a pandemic in 1666. He used this time to explore his ideas on calculus, optics and the laws of motion and gravity.
This award will give you the time, space and opportunity to explore your big idea in one of four areas – science, art and culture, society and nature and climate. A panel of experts from the fields of science, creativity and culture will help you develop your idea and bring it to life.
Read more about the award here.
The prize
If you’re chosen, you’ll win an award up to the equivalent value of £5,000, which will be a bespoke package including:
- A private guided tour of Woolsthorpe Manor with members of the Woolsthorpe team and time to work on your big idea here
- The opportunity to showcase your big idea at Woolsthorpe Manor
- Tools and resources to help with your idea
- Meet the judge who’s an expert in your subject area either in person or virtually
- The opportunity to work with an expert from the National Trust on your idea
- Dedicated mentoring time around your big idea
- A one-year free entry pass to National Trust places
- A book bundle featuring one book from each of the judges
- The National Trust will cover all your travel and accommodation costs and out-of-pocket expenses. They’ll also pay costs to support childcare, caring duties and loss of working hours.
If you submit a valid application for the Time + Space Award, you’ll get a free National Trust day pass for two visitors to use at any of the participating places in the National Trust’s care.
How to enter
To enter, you’ll need to fill out an online form and answer one of the following four questions:
- How can science be more accessible and relevant to everyone?
- Access to art and culture isn’t equal. How can your big idea address the imbalance?
- What’s your big idea that would change society for the better, for everyone?
- Nature and climate are in crisis. How can your big idea save them and help us break out of the echo chamber?
You can answer your chosen question as a written response between 200 and 2,000 words, a link to a video between 30 seconds and 10 minutes, or a link to an audio file between 30 seconds and 10 minutes.
The competition opens on 10 January and closes on 30 April 2024 and is open to anyone aged 16–25 living in the UK. If you’re under 18, you’ll need permission from a legal parent, guardian or carer to apply.
The judges, including Dame Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock, David Olusoga OBE, Tayshan Hayden-Smith and Megan McCubbin, alongside National Trust representatives, will review your entry. Together, they’ll select four winners.
Full terms and conditions apply. Submit your application here.
You can apply between 00:01 on 10 January 2024 and 23:59 on 30 April 2024.