To All Awards

2026 Design Awards

Call for Entry: November 24, 2025
Deadline: March 13, 2026
Eligibility Period: March 2025 – March 2026
Results Notification: late April 2026

YOUR CREATIVITY, CELEBRATED.

YOUR WORK, PUBLISHED.

YOUR TALENT, RESPECTED.

Have your work seen by the best of the best. An international jury of design professionals will select the 2026 Design Awards winners.

Winning an Applied Arts Design Award can spark new business, a career shift, and—most importantly—industry-wide creative recognition. Winning entries will be published in the Design Awards Annual, alongside the 2025 Photography & Illustration winners, showcased online in the Winners Gallery and the Awards archive.

Canadian, US and International design studios and independent designers are eligible to enter their latest corporate design, interactive, editorial, packaging, promotional, and interactive media work created between March 2025 and March 2026 can be entered into the 2026 Design Awards competition.

Winning an Applied Arts Design Award puts your work in front of leading design professionals — a career-boosting platform for your creativity.

Who Can Enter

Current students, you are ONLY ELIGIBLE to enter the Student Awards Competition, where work is judged alongside your peers at a similar level of experience.

2026 Call for Entry Kit 2026 Design Awards Categories Kit Awards Entries

Jury & Judging Process
Categories & Entry Fees
Entry Material Guidelines
How to Enter
Payment & Refunds
Winner Recognition
Frequently Asked Questions
Contact
Disclaimer

Enter Now

Jury & Judging Process

Our Design Awards jury panel consists of 16 award-winning creatives actively working in the design industry today, both in Canada and internationally. They lend us their discerning eye and expertise to evaluate each entry, enabling us to celebrate the best design in all its facets — from editorial and corporate design to packaging, digital, and environmental design. With their guidance, we continue to spotlight the best of the best in the design world.

Mark Neil Balson
CO-FOUNDER, CREATIVE DIRECTOR
SUPERFANTASTIC
Toronto, ON

Mark Neil is the co-founder and creative director of SUPERFANTASTIC, a Toronto-based independent graphic design and experiential marketing studio. He has over 15 years of experience working across identity, branding, print, and digital design. Known for his thoughtfully daring approach, keen eye for detail, and love of typography. He has worked with some of the best studios internationally while honing his craft, which is artistic, collaborative, and above all, human. He has been awarded numerous D&AD Pencils, among other major awards, and has helped lead teams to win ADCC's Design Studio and Agency of the Year awards.

Matthew Boyd
SENIOR DESIGN DIRECTOR
LEO TORONTO
Toronto, ON

Matthew is a Creative Director, Designer and Typographer. He is currently the Head of Design at Leo Toronto.

Léo Breton-Allaire
PARTNER & CREATIVE DIRECTOR
CASERNE
Montreal, QC

Léo's role involves guiding teams and clients through identity-focused and applied design practices. He has actively contributed to shaping brands both locally and internationally, including the Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR), Moment Factory, Téléfilm Canada, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MBAM), Midi Tequila, ADISQ, Orage, 2K Games, and many others. Over the past 12 years, his work has earned more than 150 awards across major national and international competitions, including the Art Directors Club, Type Directors Club, Dieline, Communication Arts, the Advertising and Design Club of Canada, Applied Arts, and Idéa. Léo has participated in numerous design workshops and conferences, including OFFF Barcelona, Adobe Live San Francisco, RDV Design, and The Open House. In 2022, he chaired the design jury for the Idéa Awards and co-founded Forum, an annual event dedicated to graphic design, featuring renowned international speakers such as Mirko Borsche, Elizabeth Goodspeed, and Andrea A. Trabucco Campos. In 2023, 2024, and 2025, Caserne was named ADCC Design Studio of the Year, further solidifying its reputation for design excellence. In 2024, Léo was selected for Parcours, an exhibition celebrating the 50th anniversary of the UQAM School of Design, highlighting 50 graduates since the school's founding in 1974. That same year, he received the TDC Ascenders Award from The One Show in New York.

Ramón Charles
MULTIDISCIPLINARY ART DIRECTOR, MOTION DESIGNER, EDITOR
Toronto, ON

Ramón is a multidisciplinary creative working across art direction, motion design, editing and design. For nearly two decades, he's helped shape award-winning documentaries, television series, and global brand campaigns that balance strong ideas with emotional, visually driven craft. His work on Black & Abroad's Go Back to Africa earned a Cannes Lions Grand Prix, and in 2021, he was named Canada's #1 Art Director by Strategy Magazine. From broadcast and film to culture-led advertising, Ramón brings a sharp eye, thoughtful storytelling, and a hands-on creative approach to every project he touches.

Claire Dawson
CO-FOUNDER, CREATIVE DIRECTOR
UNDERLINE STUDIO
Toronto, ON

Claire is a graphic designer, creative director and co-founder of Underline Studio, with a deep commitment to the development of design in Canada. She has been honoured with awards from the most distinguished competitions, among them D&AD, the Society of Publication Designers (NY) and the Art Director's Club (NY). Claire's writing on design has been published in Applied Arts and she has curated panels for Canada's largest design conference, DesignThinkers. She has lectured widely and has served as a judge for Cannes, D&AD and other competitions. Claire is a graduate of York University with a degree in fine arts and is an industry mentor advising students at George Brown College's School of Design. Currently the chair of the Advertising and Design Club of Canada, she led the initiative to publish a 240-page book to commemorate the club's 75th anniversary, celebrating the best in Canadian advertising and design.

Victoria Di Valerio
CREATIVE DIRECTOR, DESIGN
NFA
Montreal, QC

Victoria does more than just design. She translates meaning, emotion, and brand identity into stunning visual form. As Creative Director, Design at NFA, she's known for her sharp eye, digital instincts, and playful yet intentional approach to solving complex business problems through design. She has worked in agencies from Montreal to Toronto and her work has been recognized across the industry; in 2023, she was named one of the Women We Admire's Top 50 Women Leaders of Montreal, which is a testament to her influence, innovation, and ability to inspire the next generation of creative leaders.

Reanna Evoy
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
SUPER BONJOUR
Vancouver / Los Angeles

Reanna is an award-winning creative director shaping brands along the West Coast from Vancouver to Los Angeles. She has collaborated with brands like Nike, Herschel, Kombi, and Aldo and worked alongside renowned photographers Cass Bird and Tim Barber. She blends strategy with intuition to create work that feels purposeful, adapting ideas to whatever platform they need to land. She builds worlds for brands to play in. Equal parts creative wizard and cultural translator, Reanna turns ideas into places people want to be, products to love, and creative that makes you feel something real. Plus, she has a tap that pours sweet, sweet secret sauce.

Cat How
FOUNDER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
HOW&HOW
London, UK / Los Angeles, CA

Cat is the founder, CEO and executive creative director of How&How—a global branding agency based in London and Los Angeles. A former award-winning journalist, she built her studio to create brands that enrich people, nature and founders alike. With a focus on purpose and cultural impact, Cat champions salary transparency and gender pay equality across the industry. Her team is on a mission to liberate ideas the world deserves.

Alex Hunting
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
ALEX HUNTING STUDIO
London, UK

Alex is an award-winning creative director and founder of Alex Hunting Studio, a creative agency delivering editorially driven design across print and digital media. His work spans creative consultancy, art direction, visual identities, publications, campaigns, moving image and websites for cultural institutions, luxury, lifestyle and media brands. Alex is also design director of the cult quarterly Kinfolk, created in close collaboration with his studio since 2016. A graduate of the London College of Communication, his work has been recognised by D&AD, the Art Directors Club of New York, Type Directors Club, Creative Review and the Society of Publication Designers. Alex regularly lectures internationally and serves as a jury member for leading design awards.

Mustaali Raj
CREATIVE DIRECTOR, DESIGNER & VISUAL ARTIST
Vancouver, BC

Mustaali is an independent creative director, graphic designer, and visual artist. Being both a third culture kid and an avid traveller, his sense of belonging extends well beyond geographic boundaries. This multi-faceted sense of belonging and experiences play an important role in exploring intersection of identities through his work. He is a circle, living in a square, drawing triangles.

Leah Renihan
DESIGN DIRECTOR
MEKANISM
Toronto, ON

Leah is the design director at Mekanism Canada, collaborating with strategists, creatives, and designers across disciplines. An award-winning multidisciplinary designer with over 15 years of experience, she specializes in branding, guided by a passion for craft and typography. Her career spans local studios and international creative agencies, with client work including Koodo, The Drake, Ubisoft, KitKat, Boston Pizza, and CAMH.

Hamie Robitaille
CO-FOUNDER, CREATIVE DIRECTOR
TRANSVERSAL
Montreal, QC

Hamie is the co-founder of Transversal Studio and an established artistic director based in Montreal for nearly fifteen years. Over time, she has collaborated with renowned agencies such as Cossette, Moment Factory, and K72, while also developing her own artistic projects in print and digital art. Beyond her professional achievements, Hamie actively contributes to the enrichment of the Canadian art scene. Several of her works are now part of the prestigious collection of the Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ), testifying to her significant contribution to the cultural heritage of the region. More recently, her work with BEATS Collective won an Applied Art award and received support from the arts councils of Montreal, Quebec, and Canada.

Daniel Robitaille
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
PAPRIKA
Montreal, QC

A graduate of the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Daniel was recruited by Sid Lee, where he had the opportunity to participate in several major projects. In 2010, he joined Paprika as Artistic Director, becoming Creative Director in 2019. In this latter position, he combines visual identity, communications design and space planning projects. Over the years, Daniel has won over 400 national and international awards in a number of prestigious competitions, including One Show, Communication Arts, Dieline, IDEA, AIGA, Graphis, ADCC, Type Directors Club and Art Directors Club. He was awarded the title of Young Guns in 2012 by the Art Directors Club and the title of Ascenders in 2018 by the Type Directors Club. Daniel has been invited as a jury member for the Art Directors Club Young Guns, as well as for other competitions such as Applied Arts, Communication Arts, Marketing Awards, Young Ones as well as Grafika. Since 2020, Daniel has also been a lecturer at UQAM's École de Design, in both the Graphic Design and Environmental Design programs. In 2024, Daniel's contribution to Canadian design earned him membership of the prestigious Alliance Graphique Internationale.

Steve Savic
EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
CRITICAL MASS
Calgary, AB

For over two decades, Steve has been bridging the web and the physical world. His work has covered the digital spectrum and sprawled the digital eco-system, covering anything and everything from transactional to brand-rich campaigns. These days, keeping his finger on the industry-pulse means finding new ways to apply technology: into stories, into products, across platforms and through experiences. In every case, Steve tries to bring a transformative perspective to storytelling and design by fusing film, music, art and technology. He also brings his fresh perspective to industry event on juries that include Cannes Lions, ADC, One Show and recently severed as Digital Chair for Canada's Marketing Awards. Innovation is in his DNA. Steve spearheaded integrated brand experiences that have been selected for tech beta-programs for Disney, Oculus, Google, Microsoft and Instagram. Back in 2000, Steve had his first blush with Cannes. It was for a NIKE project that took home a Cannes Cyber Grand Prix. Since then, he has added several Cannes Lions, Clio Awards, ADC and Webbys, as well as awards from The One Show, D&AD.

Paulina Van Vliet
ART DIRECTOR
Edmonton, AB

Paulina is an art director, designer, and sometimes illustrator with 11 years of experience in advertising. Her greatest career achievement so far is a Bronze Strategy award, in addition to a few Applied Arts awards and a Webby's nomination. Recently, she has shifted her focus to projects that are centred around community building. While 'community building' is a really broad term, in a world filled with loneliness and commodification of anything and everything, design with the purpose of building connections between people feels really important. The money may not be great but the cause is noble.

Courtney Wells
SENIOR DESIGNER
RAY
St. John's, NL

A graduate of College of North Atlantic's Graphic Design program, Courtney is a bright mind with equally bright hair, and a special affinity for the colour purple. With 17 years in the industry, this award-winning designer has led everything from highly tactile print pieces to large-scale brand identities and crafted engaging websites for clients. She's especially proud of helping lead the gender-norm-bending MerBy's initiative, serving as art director/designer for calendar campaigns that raised over $600k for local charities. A self-proclaimed sci-fi nerd, Courtney is a big fan of comic books, peanut M&Ms, and the Beatles. When possible, all three at the same time.

Mark Neil Balson
CO-FOUNDER, CREATIVE DIRECTOR
SUPERFANTASTIC
Toronto, ON

Mark Neil is the co-founder and creative director of SUPERFANTASTIC, a Toronto-based independent graphic design and experiential marketing studio. He has over 15 years of experience working across identity, branding, print, and digital design. Known for his thoughtfully daring approach, keen eye for detail, and love of typography. He has worked with some of the best studios internationally while honing his craft, which is artistic, collaborative, and above all, human. He has been awarded numerous D&AD Pencils, among other major awards, and has helped lead teams to win ADCC's Design Studio and Agency of the Year awards.

Matthew Boyd
SENIOR DESIGN DIRECTOR
LEO TORONTO
Toronto, ON

Matthew is a Creative Director, Designer and Typographer. He is currently the Head of Design at Leo Toronto.

Léo Breton-Allaire
PARTNER & CREATIVE DIRECTOR
CASERNE
Montreal, QC

Léo's role involves guiding teams and clients through identity-focused and applied design practices. He has actively contributed to shaping brands both locally and internationally, including the Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR), Moment Factory, Téléfilm Canada, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MBAM), Midi Tequila, ADISQ, Orage, 2K Games, and many others. Over the past 12 years, his work has earned more than 150 awards across major national and international competitions, including the Art Directors Club, Type Directors Club, Dieline, Communication Arts, the Advertising and Design Club of Canada, Applied Arts, and Idéa. Léo has participated in numerous design workshops and conferences, including OFFF Barcelona, Adobe Live San Francisco, RDV Design, and The Open House. In 2022, he chaired the design jury for the Idéa Awards and co-founded Forum, an annual event dedicated to graphic design, featuring renowned international speakers such as Mirko Borsche, Elizabeth Goodspeed, and Andrea A. Trabucco Campos. In 2023, 2024, and 2025, Caserne was named ADCC Design Studio of the Year, further solidifying its reputation for design excellence. In 2024, Léo was selected for Parcours, an exhibition celebrating the 50th anniversary of the UQAM School of Design, highlighting 50 graduates since the school's founding in 1974. That same year, he received the TDC Ascenders Award from The One Show in New York.

Ramón Charles
MULTIDISCIPLINARY ART DIRECTOR, MOTION DESIGNER, EDITOR
Toronto, ON

Ramón is a multidisciplinary creative working across art direction, motion design, editing and design. For nearly two decades, he's helped shape award-winning documentaries, television series, and global brand campaigns that balance strong ideas with emotional, visually driven craft. His work on Black & Abroad's Go Back to Africa earned a Cannes Lions Grand Prix, and in 2021, he was named Canada's #1 Art Director by Strategy Magazine. From broadcast and film to culture-led advertising, Ramón brings a sharp eye, thoughtful storytelling, and a hands-on creative approach to every project he touches.

Claire Dawson
CO-FOUNDER, CREATIVE DIRECTOR
UNDERLINE STUDIO
Toronto, ON

Claire is a graphic designer, creative director and co-founder of Underline Studio, with a deep commitment to the development of design in Canada. She has been honoured with awards from the most distinguished competitions, among them D&AD, the Society of Publication Designers (NY) and the Art Director's Club (NY). Claire's writing on design has been published in Applied Arts and she has curated panels for Canada's largest design conference, DesignThinkers. She has lectured widely and has served as a judge for Cannes, D&AD and other competitions. Claire is a graduate of York University with a degree in fine arts and is an industry mentor advising students at George Brown College's School of Design. Currently the chair of the Advertising and Design Club of Canada, she led the initiative to publish a 240-page book to commemorate the club's 75th anniversary, celebrating the best in Canadian advertising and design.

Victoria Di Valerio
CREATIVE DIRECTOR, DESIGN
NFA
Montreal, QC

Victoria does more than just design. She translates meaning, emotion, and brand identity into stunning visual form. As Creative Director, Design at NFA, she's known for her sharp eye, digital instincts, and playful yet intentional approach to solving complex business problems through design. She has worked in agencies from Montreal to Toronto and her work has been recognized across the industry; in 2023, she was named one of the Women We Admire's Top 50 Women Leaders of Montreal, which is a testament to her influence, innovation, and ability to inspire the next generation of creative leaders.

Reanna Evoy
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
SUPER BONJOUR
Vancouver / Los Angeles

Reanna is an award-winning creative director shaping brands along the West Coast from Vancouver to Los Angeles. She has collaborated with brands like Nike, Herschel, Kombi, and Aldo and worked alongside renowned photographers Cass Bird and Tim Barber. She blends strategy with intuition to create work that feels purposeful, adapting ideas to whatever platform they need to land. She builds worlds for brands to play in. Equal parts creative wizard and cultural translator, Reanna turns ideas into places people want to be, products to love, and creative that makes you feel something real. Plus, she has a tap that pours sweet, sweet secret sauce.

Cat How
FOUNDER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
HOW&HOW
London, UK / Los Angeles, CA

Cat is the founder, CEO and executive creative director of How&How—a global branding agency based in London and Los Angeles. A former award-winning journalist, she built her studio to create brands that enrich people, nature and founders alike. With a focus on purpose and cultural impact, Cat champions salary transparency and gender pay equality across the industry. Her team is on a mission to liberate ideas the world deserves.

Alex Hunting
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
ALEX HUNTING STUDIO
London, UK

Alex is an award-winning creative director and founder of Alex Hunting Studio, a creative agency delivering editorially driven design across print and digital media. His work spans creative consultancy, art direction, visual identities, publications, campaigns, moving image and websites for cultural institutions, luxury, lifestyle and media brands. Alex is also design director of the cult quarterly Kinfolk, created in close collaboration with his studio since 2016. A graduate of the London College of Communication, his work has been recognised by D&AD, the Art Directors Club of New York, Type Directors Club, Creative Review and the Society of Publication Designers. Alex regularly lectures internationally and serves as a jury member for leading design awards.

Mustaali Raj
CREATIVE DIRECTOR, DESIGNER & VISUAL ARTIST
Vancouver, BC

Mustaali is an independent creative director, graphic designer, and visual artist. Being both a third culture kid and an avid traveller, his sense of belonging extends well beyond geographic boundaries. This multi-faceted sense of belonging and experiences play an important role in exploring intersection of identities through his work. He is a circle, living in a square, drawing triangles.

Leah Renihan
DESIGN DIRECTOR
MEKANISM
Toronto, ON

Leah is the design director at Mekanism Canada, collaborating with strategists, creatives, and designers across disciplines. An award-winning multidisciplinary designer with over 15 years of experience, she specializes in branding, guided by a passion for craft and typography. Her career spans local studios and international creative agencies, with client work including Koodo, The Drake, Ubisoft, KitKat, Boston Pizza, and CAMH.

Hamie Robitaille
CO-FOUNDER, CREATIVE DIRECTOR
TRANSVERSAL
Montreal, QC

Hamie is the co-founder of Transversal Studio and an established artistic director based in Montreal for nearly fifteen years. Over time, she has collaborated with renowned agencies such as Cossette, Moment Factory, and K72, while also developing her own artistic projects in print and digital art. Beyond her professional achievements, Hamie actively contributes to the enrichment of the Canadian art scene. Several of her works are now part of the prestigious collection of the Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ), testifying to her significant contribution to the cultural heritage of the region. More recently, her work with BEATS Collective won an Applied Art award and received support from the arts councils of Montreal, Quebec, and Canada.

Daniel Robitaille
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
PAPRIKA
Montreal, QC

A graduate of the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Daniel was recruited by Sid Lee, where he had the opportunity to participate in several major projects. In 2010, he joined Paprika as Artistic Director, becoming Creative Director in 2019. In this latter position, he combines visual identity, communications design and space planning projects. Over the years, Daniel has won over 400 national and international awards in a number of prestigious competitions, including One Show, Communication Arts, Dieline, IDEA, AIGA, Graphis, ADCC, Type Directors Club and Art Directors Club. He was awarded the title of Young Guns in 2012 by the Art Directors Club and the title of Ascenders in 2018 by the Type Directors Club. Daniel has been invited as a jury member for the Art Directors Club Young Guns, as well as for other competitions such as Applied Arts, Communication Arts, Marketing Awards, Young Ones as well as Grafika. Since 2020, Daniel has also been a lecturer at UQAM's École de Design, in both the Graphic Design and Environmental Design programs. In 2024, Daniel's contribution to Canadian design earned him membership of the prestigious Alliance Graphique Internationale.

Steve Savic
EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
CRITICAL MASS
Calgary, AB

For over two decades, Steve has been bridging the web and the physical world. His work has covered the digital spectrum and sprawled the digital eco-system, covering anything and everything from transactional to brand-rich campaigns. These days, keeping his finger on the industry-pulse means finding new ways to apply technology: into stories, into products, across platforms and through experiences. In every case, Steve tries to bring a transformative perspective to storytelling and design by fusing film, music, art and technology. He also brings his fresh perspective to industry event on juries that include Cannes Lions, ADC, One Show and recently severed as Digital Chair for Canada's Marketing Awards. Innovation is in his DNA. Steve spearheaded integrated brand experiences that have been selected for tech beta-programs for Disney, Oculus, Google, Microsoft and Instagram. Back in 2000, Steve had his first blush with Cannes. It was for a NIKE project that took home a Cannes Cyber Grand Prix. Since then, he has added several Cannes Lions, Clio Awards, ADC and Webbys, as well as awards from The One Show, D&AD.

Paulina Van Vliet
ART DIRECTOR
Edmonton, AB

Paulina is an art director, designer, and sometimes illustrator with 11 years of experience in advertising. Her greatest career achievement so far is a Bronze Strategy award, in addition to a few Applied Arts awards and a Webby's nomination. Recently, she has shifted her focus to projects that are centred around community building. While 'community building' is a really broad term, in a world filled with loneliness and commodification of anything and everything, design with the purpose of building connections between people feels really important. The money may not be great but the cause is noble.

Courtney Wells
SENIOR DESIGNER
RAY
St. John's, NL

A graduate of College of North Atlantic's Graphic Design program, Courtney is a bright mind with equally bright hair, and a special affinity for the colour purple. With 17 years in the industry, this award-winning designer has led everything from highly tactile print pieces to large-scale brand identities and crafted engaging websites for clients. She's especially proud of helping lead the gender-norm-bending MerBy's initiative, serving as art director/designer for calendar campaigns that raised over $600k for local charities. A self-proclaimed sci-fi nerd, Courtney is a big fan of comic books, peanut M&Ms, and the Beatles. When possible, all three at the same time.

Entries are judged digitally by award-winning creatives working in Canada and beyond.

Categories & Entry Fees

Entry fees vary per sub-grouping and category. Download the 2026 Design Awards Categories Kit for detailed pricing.

ENTIRE DESIGN PROGRAMS - $125
Cause-Related/Social Responsibility Program
Complete Brand Identity Program
Complete Rebrand Identity Program
Entire Design Program
Entire Packaging Design Program
Entire Promotional Design Program
Guerrilla Marketing Program
Pro Bono/PSA/Charity Ent. Design Program
Small Community/ Business Design Program

DESIGN – SINGLE: $60/SERIES: $85*
Annual Report
Brochure
Cause-Related Creative
Data Visualization
Digital Album Cover – NEW 
Environmental – Environmental Design
Logo Design
Poster
Pro Bono/PSA/Charity
Small Community/Business Design
Unpublished/Personal

EDITORIAL DESIGN – SINGLE: $65/SERIES: $85*
Cover/Page/Spread
Entire Book Design
Entire Publication Design

PACKAGING DESIGN – SINGLE: $65/SERIES: $85*
CBP Infused/Alcohol Beverages
Alcohol-Free Beverages
Consumer Product
Food
Promotional Packaging
Rebrand Packaging
Sustainable Packaging

PROMOTIONAL DESIGN – SINGLE: $65/SERIES: $85
Artist/Design Firm Promotions
Point-of-Sale Messaging
Premium/Gift Item
Promotional Collateral
Promotional Messaging
Retail Applications

TYPEFACE DESIGN – SINGLE: $85/SERIES: $125
Typeface Design

TYPOGRAPHY – SINGLE: $65/SERIES: $85*
Corporate Application
Digital Application
Editorial Application
Environmental/Experiential Application
Motion Application
Packaging Application
Promotional Application

CRAFT – SINGLE: $65/SERIES: $85
Calligraphy/Hand Lettering
Illustration
Motion/Animation
Photography
Printing/Bindery/Finishing

DIGITAL DESIGN – SINGLE/SERIES: $100
Content
Apps
AR & VR
Editorial for Digital Editions
Experimental/Innovative
Gaming
Social/Viral/Promotional
Self-Promotion – Social

Website
Business-to-Business
Consumer Products
Consumer Services
Commerce
Educational/Reference
Entertainment, Art & Tourism
Public Service/Charity
Self-Promotion

MOTION DESIGN – SINGLE: $100/SERIES: $150*
Videos (Educational and explanatory videos, social media videos, event graphics, online graphics, etc.)
Pro Bono/PSA/Charity
Small Community/Business

YOUNG BLOOD - SINGLE: $50/SERIES: $60/CAMPAIGN: $85
Entries can be from any application from the sub-groupings above.

Note: Entry fees vary per sub-grouping and category. Download the 2026 Design Categories Kit for details.

Entry Material Guidelines

Main Entry Files

REQUIRED
Main Entry File(s) must clearly show the images, ideally without additional graphics to be judged in hi-res format.

PERMITTED

SINGLE | 1 file

A single design unit – Such as an annual report, book/publication, multiple-page brochure, package, poster, environmental signage for an event/storefront, website, etc.

SERIES | 3 files miximum

2-3 design units – Such as a family of logos, packages, posters.

CAMPAIGN | 9 files maximum

Up to 9 elements/units from an entire program to promote an event, brand, product, service or business.

*Exceptions are noted in specific categories.

NOTE ON MULTIPAGE PDFS: Recommended when incorporating any additional images into the maximum number of files allowed (e.g. the image in context, inside pages from a book, or multiple views of 3-dimensional entries such as packaging). It only counts as 1 file.

Support Files

Support Files help clarify your entry for judges. They are not for publication (unless noted) and do not count towards your main file limits. Only one (1) file or URL may be uploaded.

REQUIRED
~ English translations for non-English entries; must be included either as a Support File or within a multipage PDF as your Main Entry File.

PERMITTED
~ Brief descriptions: Optional, recommended if the use or intention is not obvious. Limit to 50 words in English (10-second intro for motion).
~ Case studies: Optional, ONLY as a support file. Limit 50 words in English or 45s for videos. Note: judges score the creative, not the outcomes.

NOT PERMITTED
~ Uploading the same creative: Do not submit the same creative either as a file or URL if it's been added as the Main Entry File.
~ Entrant information: Do not add entrant-identifying watermarks on support files or URLs (self-promo work excluded).

RECOMMENDED BEST PRACTICES

Judging is fully online. Here's how to make your entry clear and impactful:

How To Enter

The Entry Form consists of five (5) steps. You can save your progress at any point.

Log in or sign up for an account

View a sample entry

Step 1: entry information

Choose the Awards competition, sub-group, category, and add your entry title.

Step 2: Entry Materials

Upload all required digital files. Follow the Entry Material Guidelines for specs and tips.

Step 3: Winners' Information

For publication only, not for judging.

For teams, list one name as "Winner" here; add others in Creative Credits.

Step 4: Creative Credits

List the creatives who worked on the project and specify their roles.

Step 5: Certificate information

Provide the winning company/individual and/or client name to appear on the certificate.

One certificate will be given for each winning entry. Additional certificates can be ordered later.

FINALIZE & PAY

Click Save to return to your dashboard to add or copy entries.

Payment completes the submission—entries are not officially submitted until payment is processed.

You may edit entries up until payment. After payment, only limited edits (e.g., Winners' Information) are allowed. Once results are released, there will be a 48-hour window to update Winners' Information and creative credit role.

Enter Now

Payment & Refunds

Entries are non-refundable. If an entry is submitted to the same category, entrants will have the option to move the entry to another category or enter new work in its place.

Keep a record of your submissions.

Winner Recognition

Award recipients receive:

OPTIONAL ADD-ONS*

  • Extra certificates for your team or client (with optional plaque mounting).
  • Additional copies of the Awards Annual at a discounted rate.
  • A personalized, engraved Lucite AACE trophy (3.5 × 3.5 × 3.5 in.).

*Additional fees apply

Frequently Asked Questions

Eligibility FAQ

Can students enter? No. Students may only enter the Student Competition. Go here for categories, eligibility and deadlines for the Student Awards competition.

Can I enter something I entered last year? Not in the same competition, but if it meets the eligibility period for a different competition, then yes.

Can I enter something in multiple Awards competitions? Yes. Each competition has different eligibility periods; please check each competition for eligibility requirements.

Judging FAQ

Will the judges see my descriptions during the judging? Judges do not see the creative descriptions you have entered. These are only for publishing beside your entry if chosen as a winner. If you feel judges need an explanatory note, you may include a brief description as a Support File (no more than 50 words or 10 seconds for broadcast/video).

Categories FAQ

Can I enter a piece in multiple categories? Yes. In your account on the Awards Entries home page, click "Copy" on any entry you've created. Be sure to change the discipline and/or entry category to the new one you want to submit to.

Which category does my entry belong in? Often the best way to understand a category is to see previous work that won in that category. Check our online winners Gallery for examples. If you still have questions regarding our categories or require assistance in selecting the appropriate category, contact awards@appliedartsmag.com.

NOTE: Applied Arts reserves the right to move an entry to another category if we feel it unsuitable or incorrectly categorized.

What is a single, series, and campaign? A single means one piece. Series means you are submitting more than one piece of the same project to a maximum of three (five pieces for the Photography & Illustration competitions). A campaign is up to nine pieces (six pieces for the Student competition). NOTE: Exceptions are noted in specific categories. If an entry contains more than the specified images, we will either contact you to split the submission into multiple entries, or choose which ones will be judged, so it's best to stick to the indicated number of pieces specified.

What is the Young Blood category? Young Blood is a series of categories open only to entrants who have been out of school for up to a certain number of years (three for the Photography and Illustration competitions and five for the Design and Advertising competitions). As with all categories, they are judged on creative excellence, technical merit and suitability for end use, but the jury also takes into account the level of professional experience. You will be required to specify the name of the Young Blood entrant to qualify.

Entry Material FAQ

At what specs do I need to submit my entry? Refer to ENTRY MATERIAL GUIDELINES section for specifications.

Can I submit a hard copy or disk? No. Only digital uploads are accepted.

The program crashed. Did I lose everything? No. You are saving your work as you go through each section of the entry form. If the program crashes as you are completing a certain section, it may not have been saved in that section.

The file I uploaded won't show me a preview. Why? You may not see the image preview if you haven't followed the specs outlined in ENTRY MATERIAL GUIDELINES. Check your file and re-upload. If you continue to experience difficulties, try clearing your browser history or contact awards@appliedartsmag.com.

I uploaded the wrong file. Can I change it? Yes. You can resubmit images at any time until payment is made. Click the "X" beside the appropriate file and re-upload your image.

NOTE: The thumbnail image may not correctly display your new image. If this happens close your browser and log back into "Awards Entries" for the changes to show. If you continue to experience difficulties, try clearing your browser history or contact awards@appliedartsmag.com.

Rights FAQ

Do I need to get the rights of the subjects or material used from external sources in my entry? It is the responsibility of the entrant to ensure copyright is not infringed. Upon entry you must grant us the rights to reproduce the image or images for both our online and print publications, so you would most likely need to have these rights in place to protect yourself. Although you do not need to send us a copy of the release forms, we do suggest that you have them. Entrants who request we don't run their winning work because they don't have the rights will not be refunded for their entry. NOTE: Student work is often exempt from copyright rules.

What rights do I retain if my work is chosen? You retain all rights to your images.

My client has revoked the right for me to enter work I've won for. What do I do? We do not issue refunds in these cases, but please contact awards@appliedartsmag.com if you need the entry removed from the Winners' pool.

Payment FAQ

Can I submit more entries after paying? Yes. In Awards Entries, you will have the opportunity to submit additional entries even if others already entered have been paid. This will simply generate a new confirmation email when you complete your entries with payment.

I want to change something after I've paid. What do I do? Once an entry is paid, you cannot change the category, entry title, entry format, winner's information, description of entry, or creative credits. A paid entry is final, so check it carefully before proceeding to the payment field. If chosen as a winner, you will be given a small window of time to add or edit information.

Can I get a refund? Entries are non-refundable; costs cover administration, processing and the judging of the entry. A submission of entry acknowledges acceptance of these rules.

My client has revoked the right for me to enter work I’ve already paid for. What do I do? We do not issue refunds, but contact awards@appliedartsmag.com if you need the entry removed from the judging or winners' pool.

I'm getting error messages when I try to pay. What do I do? If you entered your payment information incorrectly on your first attempt, any subsequent attempts would be declined, even if you change your payment type. Close your browser and log back into Awards Entries. You should now be able to proceed with payment. If you continue to experience difficulties, contact awards@appliedartsmag.com.

Winners FAQ

If I win, what image will you use for reproduction? We will use the image(s) you submitted on entry. In the case of series, complete, campaign, we select a sampling at our discretion from the images/files submitted. For digital or motion, we will contact you to provide us with final image selects.

Contact

Questions? If you've checked all of the above sections and cannot find the answer to your question, or if you are having difficulty entering, contact awards@appliedartsmag.com.

Disclaimer

Applied Arts reserves the right to amend these rules throughout the competition. Applied Arts assumes all entries are original and the property of the entrant, with all rights granted therein. Applied Arts reserves the rights to publish or exhibit entries for our print or electronic formats, or related promotions. Entries are non-refundable. Costs cover administration, processing, and the judging of the entry. Entries may be moved to a more suitable category, if Applied Arts deems the category chosen unsuitable. All descriptions and credits are subject to be edited for length, clarity and grammar in accordance with the Applied Arts editorial style guide. A submission of entry acknowledges acceptance of these rules.