Niko Skourtis Named Winner of 2012 Catalyst Award

The Society of Typographic Aficionados has announced that Niko Skourtis of New York will be the recipient of the 2012 SOTA Catalyst Award. This award was created in 2010 to recognize a person thirty years of age or younger who demonstrates significant achievement and future promise in the field of typography. Niko will present his work and receive the award at TypeCon2012, taking place this summer in Milwaukee, WI.

About the Winner

Niko Skourtis, 26New York, NYNiko studied at California College of the Arts. For his undergraduate thesis project he created an interactive database, Typograph, that catalogs the past thirty years of typography. Typograph presents data from the Type Directors Club annuals through various interactive platforms. These platforms include an interactive chart displaying data for each typeface, a dynamic image-based timeline, and visual representations built using the Processing — providing an atmospheric perspective on the past thirty years of typography.Our judging committee was unanimously impressed with Niko’s work, chosen from a pool of nearly forty applicants. Here are some examples of what the judges had to say:

“Successful database and web design to easily portray typographic information in a digestible and meaningful manner.”

“That this individual is an accomplished designer and programmer, just makes me want to see where his talents will lead him in future.”

Special Recognition

The judges would also like to recognize another candidate, Nick Sherman. At the tender age of 29, Nick has a resumé that many would envy. He currently works for Font Bureau and Webtype, where he promote fonts for use both in print and web. Nick has become a regular at TypeCon and his contribution to the field of typography is considerable. The judges would like to recognize this contribution and look forward to seeing what the future holds for Nick.