Now live— the 2025 Design Winner Gallery
Be inspired!
May 22, 2025
The 2025 Applied Arts Design Awards revealed a design industry that’s more dynamic and purpose-driven than ever. This year’s winners embraced sustainability, social impact, and cutting-edge tech like AI and AR — all while balancing a renewed appreciation for craftsmanship and authenticity.
Designers are no longer just making things look good — they’re telling meaningful stories, challenging norms, and building connections. The competition showcased a global creative community that’s not only responding to the world around it but actively shaping it.
The 16 jurors were divided into groups, each judging a different and random group of entries separately and without discussion. Each entry is given one total score based on creative merit, technical excellence and suitability for end use in the category it was submitted to. All in all, 133 entries were selected for inclusion in the Photography, Illustration and Design Award Annual. Subscribers and winners can expect to receive their issue this summer. The issue delivery may be impacted by the impending Canada Post strike—more news to follow by May 23—deadline of the strike.
Cossette Communications, Montreal, QC, Multi-Category Winning (MCW) entry AI Mentors for the Alliance for Afrodescendant Leadership.
"Love, super smart and inspiring."
Lisa Carrana, 2025 Design Awards judge and Head of Design, London, UK
Don't miss the issue; subscribe to Applied Arts for as little as $4 CAD* per month for two Awards-based issues, or you can pre-order your single copy to have it shipped. The issue will also be available at select newsstands in August.
A big shout-out goes to our award sponsors VISTEK; association partners CAPIC, Design Professionals of Canada (DesCan) and our print and paper partner Mi5 Print & Digital Communications for their support!
Take a sneak peek at the 2025 Design Awards Gallery. We are confident you will find inspiration in every winner.
* Billed monthly. $40 annually in Canada. 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.
