2026 Photography & Illustration winners Gallery
Work that disrupts—and lingers
March 25, 2026
This is not a celebration.
Or at least, not the kind you’re used to.
An awards show suggests clarity.
(Winners, Categories, Decisions.)
A sense that things have been sorted, resolved, concluded.
The work doesn’t behave that way.
It spills beyond its edges.
It interrupts.
It contradicts itself.
It resists easy framing, even here, even now—inside something called a “winners gallery.”
And yet, it stays.
What you’ll find in this year’s Photography & Illustration Winners Gallery isn’t just a collection of selected pieces. It’s a record of ideas in motion—work that pushes, questions, and refuses to settle.
Spend time with it. Let it unfold on its own terms.
The Photography & Illustration Winners Gallery is now live.
The 2026 winners will be unveiled in the Summer issue, alongside the Design Awards winners. The work will also appear in print in the Awards Annuals.
Don’t miss out—get the winners in your hands. Subscribe to Applied Arts for just $4 CAD* per month (including two Awards Annuals), or pre-order a single copy to have it delivered straight to your door. The Summer issue will also be available at select newsstands this August.
Thank you to our award sponsors, VISTEK; association partners CAPIC, Design Professionals of Canada (DesCan), The Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD), and our print and paper partner Mi5 Print & Digital Communications for their generosity and support!
And most importantly, thank you to all our winners, entrants, and this year’s 15 judges—your creativity, discernment, and dedication continue to inspire us.
* Billed monthly. $40 annually in Canada. The US is $60 USD or $100 for International. A subscription includes 2 Awards-based Annuals, access to the Digital edition archive and the AA Extra monthly e-newsletter.
