The search is on for the best web site in Brighton and Hove.

Nominations in four categories - local portals, community and education, business and personal sites - are open until May 17.

Voting online for the cream of the local cyber crop will continue until the end of next month.

An online entry form is available on the virtual festival's web site.

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony later in the summer.

The web awards were introduced at last year's Brighton and Hove Virtual Festival and more than 80 sites were nominated.

Mark Walker, who organises the festival, said: "Last year's web awards attracted more than 500 votes for the nominated sites and confirmed our view there are some great web sites here in Brighton and Hove.

"The winning sites ranged from the Brighton Racecourse site to Sharkbait, a page for surfers, with The Brighton Curry Guide and Insight Magazine also among the winners.

"Anyone can nominate their favourite site by visiting the virtual festival web page.

You can even nominate your own site, if you want."

The 2002 web awards are being supported by thisisbrightonandhove.co.uk
and O'Reilly Books.

The annual virtual festival, now in its fifth year, was inaugerated by Sussex Community Internet Project (SCIP) to demonstrate how new technology was being used by people in the city for business and education and in the community.

It provides an opportunity for communities to make and show videos about life in Brighton and Hove.

The closing date for submitting videos, no more than ten minutes long and on standard VHS tape, digital video cassette or DVD, is May 31.

Mr Walker said: "It could be a group of young people enjoying themselves on a skateboard ramp or people saying what makes their neighbourhood special.

"The community video showcase at the Duke of York's cinema on June 16 will provides a chance to see all sorts of films alongside each other and to celebrate the communities we live in."

www.virtualfestival.org.uk
www.scip.org.uk
thisisbrightonandhove.co.uk
www.oreilly.com